Ramblings of a Seattle-area Mom

Thinking

2009-09-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of shutting down my blog. I've been really lax about posting lately, mostly because whatever's on my mind I'll post on Facebook. I'd been holding on to my blog because Mom wasn't on Facebook, but now that she is, it seems like this might be a good time to take that last step and call things quits here. So... I'm not sure whether you'll see anything else here or not. Time will tell, I guess.

It's a Family Thing

2009-08-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Many people know that twins can run in families, especially fraternal twins. Our boys, though the look very much like brothers and can be difficult to distinguish from each other when first met, are fraternal. This means that two eggs were fertilized and implanted into my womb, instead of just one. Identical twins can happen to anyone, and are a result of one fertilized egg splitting in two before implantation.

Often Luke and I will be asked if one of us has twins in our family; lots of people know that it's a trait that can be inherited but it seems that the subtle detail of the mother's part in fraternal twins is often overlooked, or forgotten once that particular chapter in high school biology is safely tested and the grade is earned. Fraternal twins often run on the mother's side of the family because the mother has to have the genetic tendency to release more than one egg at a time, thus producing two babies instead of the usual one.

That being said...

One of our chickens had twins.

Or rather, it would have been twins, had the egg actually been fertilized and then incubated to term. We found our first double-yolker yesterday as the boys and I made pancakes. The egg was definitely larger than the others we've collected, but I had no idea until I cracked it that we were in for such a lovely surprise! Added to that, the fresh buttermilk made those pancakes extra tasty. What a treat to have such good ingredients available to make my family's food!

Look Mama!

2009-07-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

Luke helped the boys water our "garden" on Sunday and came in laughing, telling me that Big Boy B had something to show me. Our conversation went something like this:

BBB: Mama, mama, mama! Come here, come here!

Me: Okay... what do you want to show me?

BBB: Look! Look what I found when I helped Daddy water the plants!

Me: Well, it looks like they're doing okay...

BBB: Look! Our plant laid a green bean!

Yes, that's right folks... our green bean plant has one measly green bean on it. The plants that Big Boy B himself planted seem to be thriving; we think he's found the one spot in the yard that gets enough sun to sustain a garden. While we're still not sure exactly what he planted, we think it might be a cucumber, with a pumpkin nearby. After seeing Uncle John's garden on Sunday evening, the leaves seem to be similar in shape to his plants. I suppose only time will tell, though.

In the meantime, I can content myself with the one green bean that our plant has lain.

Birthday Boy!

2009-07-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

In his birthday suit, of course, because how else would a boy spend his first birthday than playing naked on the back porch? Happy birthday Baby Boy! (Um... well... a little belatedly, because your Mama missed the actual day.)

And we have a mom named "Mama."

2009-07-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Luke took the big boys to the lumber store on Saturday to purchase some wood for a missions project our church is doing. The boys love going to the lumber store; they've been known to insist on wearing their tool belts, loaded to the fullest extent, on these trips. The guys behind the counter love it when they come in and make sure to include the boys in their conversations, just like "one of the guys."

While the order was being totaled up on Saturday, Big Boy B was still talking with the men behind the counter. (No surprise there... he actually talked so much yesterday that he's now hoarse.) Anyway, he was going through the whole litany of who is in the family starting with, "This is my Daddy, and I have a brother named Baby Boy, and this is my other brother Big Boy A."

Big Boy A took this opportunity to pipe up with, "Yeah! And we have a mom named Mama!"

After lots of chuckling by all of the men, they reminded the boys not to forget that and make sure to mind their Mama.

Why yes, we do live in Seattle (part 2).

2009-07-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

You know you live in Seattle when your child tells you on a beautiful 80-ish degree day, "Mama, I'm soooooo hooooooooooot. I think when we get home I could go for a cup of cold water with ice in it."

Why yes, we do live in Seattle.

2009-06-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

If you're on facebook, or live in the Pacific Northwest, you've likely received an invitation to join the "You know you're from Seattle if..." group or seen it in an e-mail. It has such pithy quotes as, "You know you're from Seattle if you know what the word 'sunbreak' is and look forward to its occurrence." Last night, we had a chance to add one of our own to that list...

You know you're from Seattle if your children play "Barista" with Daddy's Starbucks card when he gets home from work and hand you a drink saying, "Here's your hot mocha with whip cream."

Why yes, we do in fact live in Seattle.

Updates to follow...

2009-06-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

After some serious neglect here, I'm back in the blogging world. We've been busy this June, with a few adventures including a train ride on the Snoqualmie Valley Rail Road, a stay in Spokane for the boys, and a train ride for Luke and me to Minot, ND with a short stopover in Glacier National Park, MT. At the moment, uploading the pictures doesn't seem to be working. I'll be back soon with pictures for all of you, or you can check my facebook page.

Too Gross to Post

2009-06-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

When I think about my pre-kid years, I know there are things that I now regularly deal with that would have made me retch. Now, though, not so much. So with that in mind, I'll spare you the gory details of what we've been doing lately, and just let you know that it would likely make you wish I hadn't posted anything.

I hope sincerely that you're having a less gross day than we are.

Not Long for this World

2009-06-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

I told Luke if he'd deal with the rooster, I'd learn how to make fried chicken. I guess that's going to be on the menu sometime this week!

People and things that make me happy...

2009-06-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

Chicken Fricassee

2009-06-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

It appears that we have a rooster in our hen house... if this proves to be the case I think we'll be enjoying the freshest chicken we've ever tasted in this house.

I gotta bottle this stuff and sell it.

2009-05-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

Or maybe just store it up for the next few years.

As I was getting ready to go to our friends' house for dinner last night, the Big Boys both declared they were going to help me. Since I was putting on makeup and curling my hair, I wasn't quite sure how they were going to manage that so I asked them what they intended to do. As I stepped outside of the bathroom to check on them, I saw them both sweeping my kitchen floor.

When they said they were going to help me, they really meant it!

Before I Forget

2009-05-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I keep this blog is because I'm horrible at keeping baby books. I just can't seem to get that part of my act together, and now that the Big Boys are 4 and Baby Boy is almost 1 (can you believe it???) there are all kinds of blanks that I'm pretty sure I just couldn't fill in. So often times I look at the archives of this blog as my pseudo-baby book for all three of the boys. In that spirit, there's a story I need to write down before I forget it, because it's one of those that I'll think I'll remember forever, but in reality will probably forget down the road.

Luke took the Big Boys shopping the night before Mother's Day for gifts to give me on Sunday. We'd had a really busy day he dropped off Baby Boy and me on our way home from small group, then took the Big Boys to the store.

When they came back home I was careful to not look at what the boys had in their hands as nothing was wrapped. However, Luke told me that I could look since part of the gift was flowers and they needed to be put into water right away. I was presented with beautiful yellow tulips and yellow and pink gerbera daisies, along with a helium balloon and a box of dark chocolates (my favorite!). While the gifts were very nice, I think my favorite part of the whole night was Luke telling me about shopping with the boys.

He took them to the store, got a grocery cart and put them in. First were the flowers, with each of the boys picking out a bouquet for me (after Luke steered them away from the $70 fuchsia plant). Then Big Boy B saw the balloons and he had to have one. Luke took them through the store, aisle by aisle, with each of the boys holding a bouquet of flowers, Big Boy B holding a balloon and Big Boy A insisting on picking out a box of dark chocolate (because "they're Mama's favorite!"). Up and down each aisle they went, the boys smiling and being extremely pleased with themselves, and suggesting to Daddy, "Let's get that for Mama!" Luke said that the other shoppers in the store all enjoyed the sight as much as he was enjoying being a part of it, smiling and looking at the cute blond boys long after they'd passed each other in the aisles.

When it came time to pick out a card, Big Boy B was utterly convinced that I'd like the birthday card with a 3-D red train that popped out of the middle. ("No Daddy, I know that Mama likes trains!") While they finally settled on a more traditional Mother's Day card, there was some serious negotiation to be done before the boys would agree on a card they both liked.

The boys were so proud of themselves when they returned home; they displayed their gifts to me so generously. And then, not two minutes after they were given, I heard, "Mama, will you open your box so I can have a piece of chocolate?"

Generous hearts they may have, but four-year-olds they still are. I loved my Mother's Day gifts from my boys!

More Firsts

2009-05-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Baby Boy is definitely the third child. Around here we keep track of the usual things... first smile, first tooth, first time pulling up to standing, etc... but we also keep track of a few, um, unorthodox firsts that aren't in most baby books. (Like I'm even pretending to keep a baby book. Hah!)

Among the firsts achieved yesterday are:

First Fall in the Church Nursery

followed closely by

First Black Eye

and

First Bloody Nose.

I also achieved a personal first yesterday; the Big Boys (with some help from Daddy) made me breakfast for Mother's Day. They kept it easy and simple, but there's definitely nothing to complain about toaster waffles, sliced strawberries and coffee for breakfast. Yum!

[Edited to add: I forgot to include this one:

First It's-a-Good-Thing-We're-Not-Getting-Family-Pictures-Taken-Anytime-Soon Facial Scab.]

Sunflowers and Daffodils

2009-05-05T10:27:00.001-07:00

Big Boy B has such a generous heart; he's been giving me flowers for about a month now. He's so proud of himself when he does it, too. Often the flower is accompanied by "Here Mama! It's a flower for you!" He'll call them sunflowers or daffodils and the other day as I was looking at one I found myself having difficulty remembering the actual name for these flowers that are so beautiful in the eyes of my son. And honestly, because he thinks they're beautiful, I have come to see them as beautiful as well.

I suppose any gift, given generously and lovingly, is beautiful to us. It makes me think of what God might feel like when we offer Him our heartfelt praise or thanks; while perhaps very ordinary or unspectacular in any other way than our sincerity, that alone makes it a precious gift to our Father.

Nothing to See Here

2009-05-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

Or at least, not much to see here. We've been plugging along in our daily life without a whole lot of excitement, with the notable exception of Luke having two weeks' worth of 5 a.m. phone calls conferencing with people from (literally) all over the world.

The chicks (which are closer to chickens now) are enthroned in their new coop and Luke continues to work on the walls of it as he has the time. Today marks the completion of the roof, with the rest of the it going more quickly now that the rain will not pour down on the chickens' heads.

The Big Boys continue to love preschool; I love the art projects that continue to come home with them. Currently we have some green bean plants that were started in small pots that need to be transplanted into a planter box and finger paintings of cherry trees on display.

Baby Boy is Army crawling all over the place. I'm starting to think that he may be one of those kids who never really crawl, but go directly from creeping to walking. Hey... why change things when you find something that works for you?

So, there you go. An update on our lives from the last few weeks. We just keep plugging along over here!

Happy birthday, Luke!

2009-04-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'm terribly happy that Luke had yet another birthday... it means that I've had German chocolate cake for both breakfast and lunch today!

And here's one of the three boys in the bath together for the first time. What great smiles!

Um... yeah, something like that.

2009-04-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

The big boys have lately been very interested in reading letters and numbers and can correctly identify most of them they see on a regular basis. Units of time, speed and capacity, however, are a different matter. We were driving down the street in our neighborhood the other day and from the back seat I heard, "Mama! Mama! Mama! Are you going 25 gallons fast?"

What a beautiful day!

2009-04-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

No words are necessary to go along with these pictures (so of course I'll supply some anyway)... we had an absolutely beautiful day on Sunday!

"Camping"

2009-04-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning, Luke, Big Boy B and Baby Boy all slept until almost 9:00, so we missed church. But, when everyone was awake and ready to do something, it was such a beautiful day that we simply couldn't stay inside. We packed up the camping stuff and a lunch and set off in search of a campground that was a)open and b)not snowy. Our first choice was neither, so we got in the car and headed back west; we ended up at a local lake. The wind coming off the water was chilly, but we were outside enjoying the day! One of the most exciting moments was when Luke got the camp stove going after several failed attempts because of the wind. Big Boy A was so excited that he ran around yelling, "Daddy got the stove started! Daddy got the stove started!" We had a wonderful time and are eagerly looking forward to the summer when we can go camping and stay in a tent over night.

According to Big Boy B

2009-03-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

(waving his hand in a circle for maximum effect) "Mama, you're pretty all over your whole body. And your jammies are pretty."

Just what this mama needed to hear, especially since I was up three times last night, one of them at 2 a.m. with Big Boy B himself. I look like a Mack truck hit me, backed up over me, and then hit me again just for good measure today.

I hope things settle down better tonight.

Picture Postiness

2009-03-12T07:03:00.001-07:00

This post is chock-full of pictures, so just get ready for it!

The Big Boys being wonderful big brothers to Baby Boy. He loves peaches!

The next series of pictures shows our newest additions to our family. Five little chickies! They're officially an early Easter present to the boys, but they'll also turn into egg laying hens. I'll need to learn what to do with lots of extra eggs; somehow I think custards are going to be out since I'm still trying to lose about 10 pounds.

And now for the best part... just wait for your heart to melt. Daddy and Big Boy A singing the "Thank you God for our food" song. This is a prayer that the boys have learned at preschool and they now each insist on saying grace before each meal. Last night Big Boy A picked up his guitar and started singing the prayer, then asked Luke to play along with him. The result is too precious for words. I turn into a big mushy puddle just thinking about it.

First Five

2009-03-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Shamelessly piggybacking on Rachel here...

This is open to anyone who reads my blog!

The first FIVE people to respond to this post will get something made by yours truly!!

I get to chose what it is, and make it just for YOU!!

However, this offer does have some restrictions and limitations.

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (although I'm hoping you do!)

2- What I create will be just for you.

3- It will be done this year. (before December 31, 2009!)

4- You have no clue what it's going to be. I enjoy knitting, baking, whatever!

There is one little catch. You must re-post this on YOUR blog, facebook, or whatever you use to contact the masses and make the same offer to the first 5 people who respond on your blog entry, thereby continuing the fun! (Keep it local if you would like, however you want to do it is fine.)

The first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they will be posting this on their blog will win a special something made by me!

Be sure to post a picture of your handmade prize when you get it!

Should be a fun and interesting little experiment and I am hoping that God will use it as a blessing too. :)

The latest in teething toys

2009-03-02T10:50:00.001-08:00

That's right... it's a Twizzler.

Daddy! Did you bring something for the boys?

2009-02-24T10:44:00.001-08:00

Luke says he can tell that Big Boy B exercises lots of self-control when he asks this question upon Luke's returns from his trips; there's almost a 4-second pause before the question is asked. Just long enough for Luke to hug and kiss us hello and tell us that he missed us... if he's quick about it. :)

So Luke returned home from Texas last night, and Big Boy B did not disappoint. Even at 10:00 p.m., he was ready with his question.

"Daddy! Did you bring something for the boys?"

Well... the boys now have some impressive cowhair belts and "cowboy bling"... check out those buckles!

You saved $18.23 on your bill today.

2009-02-20T12:52:00.000-08:00

That would be a 33% savings today at the grocery store... not nearly as good as Louise could have done, but I'm proud of myself nonetheless. I rarely make it out of the grocery store for under $50... and today I made it out with a bill of just $40.10. Small victories... small victories.

I love this picture!

2009-02-05T22:11:00.000-08:00

Taken a couple of weeks ago... the boys and Luke had a great time playing in the snow after church while I finished making lunch. Can't you just hear the laughter coming from this picture?

And this one is a little more obscure... but if you look really hard, you'll see a small white line in Baby Boy's gum. That's his first tooth coming in there. Not yet erupted, but close. If I knew how to doctor photos, I'd circle it or something. It's just to the right of my finger (the one in the mouth). And yes, I wash my hands on a regular basis because they always seem to end up in his mouth one way or another!

Popular with the Preschool Set

2009-02-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

Big Boy B was Star of the Day today, as was Big Boy A last week. Both times, I've been able to find some fun snacks from a great Christmas gift, Better Homes and Gardens Kid Favorites Made Healthy. Today's snack was Yam and Jam Muffins, with last week's snack being Oat and Nut Crunch Mix (minus the nuts, because you never know about those things at school). Not only are these great tasting, but they're pretty healthy snacks. Enjoy!

Yam and Jam Muffins

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
*I used 1 c whole wheat and 3/4 c white flour
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 of a 17-oz can of sweet potatoes, drained (about 1 cup)
*I steamed two medium sweet potatoes, used about 1 cup and made the rest into baby food
1 beaten egg
1/2 c milk
1/3 c fruit jam or preserves (such as plum, strawberry, peach or apricot)
1/4 c cooking oil
1 recipe Jam Icing

1. Lightly grease twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with paper baking cups; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

3. In another bowl mash the drained sweet potatoes with a fork. Stir in egg, milk, jam and oil. Add sweet potato mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).
*I used my Kitchen Aid. First I mixed the dry ingredients, then just added all the rest without mashing and combining. It worked just fine.

4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in a 400* oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until gloden and a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Cool slightly. Drizzle with Jam Icing and, if desired, top with additional jam or preserves.

Jam Icing: In a small bowl stir together 3/4 c sifter powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp fruit jam or preserves (the same as in the muffins), 1/4 tsp vanilla, and enough milk (2 to 3 tsp) to make icing drizzling consistency. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Oat and Nut Crunch Mix

4 c sweetened oat square cereal or brown sugar-flavored oat biscuit cereal
*You know, like the guy with the funny looking hat?
1/2 c sliced almonds
*I didn't use these because the snack went to school, but they would have made this better.
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp apple pie spice
*I used cinnamon
Dash salt
1 c dried cherries and/or golden raisins

1. In a 15x10x1-inch baking pan combine cereal and almonds. In a small bowl stir together melted butter, apple pie spice and salt. Drizzle butter mixture over cereal mixture; toss to coat.

2. Bake in a 300* oven about 20 minutes or until almonds are toasted, stirring once during baking. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Stir in dried cherries. Cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week.

What do you think?

2009-02-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

I just saw these online... through a link from a friend's blog to another blog... and I'm just not sure what to think about it. One part of me thinks, "Wow. What a great idea. If you kid gets lost someplace crowded, and can't give a contact phone number, it's right there!" Or, "I should tell my sister about this so her daughter can go on class field trips without having to wear a medical ID bracelet listing her food allergies."

But then... I started to think. I toyed with getting a tattoo in college and decided against it. If I'm not willing to put one on my body, why would I put one on my kids' bodies? And yes, I know it's temporary and will come off... but still. Is this offering too much information about our kids? Is this a greater commentary on society that is disturbing me in someway that I can feel, but not express eloquently with words?

I'm torn. What do you think?

Things I Never Thought I'd Say #4278(b) and (c)

2009-02-02T10:08:00.000-08:00

Please stop chewing on your knee.

Followed closely by:

Please stop chewing on your toes.

Updates on Goals

2009-01-31T09:30:00.001-08:00

Some of you have asked me to let you know how I've been doing on my resolution and I'm happy to let you know that I have steadily lost weight throughout the month. I haven't stepped on the scale yet this morning, so I'm not sure of my exact weight. However, I am proud to report that not only was I able to wear pre-pregnancy jeans yesterday, they were actually jeans I wore before the twins were born. I'd call that a major accomplishment!

On to another goal now...

I want to learn how to knit argyle patterns. (Is the new blog design a coincidence? I think not.) Now I need to to some research on the web, or maybe spend some quality time in my local yarn store. (That would be LYS in knittersese.) Then of course, there's yarn to be bought and probably some new needles, too. I'm really excited about this!

So wrong. And yet, so appealing.

2009-01-29T10:35:00.000-08:00

I know this is wrong. I know there are other things that I could eat to consume 5000 calories. I know that most of those things would be much healthier for me. Yet I have this undeniable urge to go out and buy two pounds of bacon, two pounds of sausage, roll it up and smoke it in our barbecue for 2 hours. I dare you to click on the link.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/28bacon.html?no_interstitial

Delays and Tears

2009-01-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Luke's planes have been delayed, and delayed, and delayed again. It looks like he'll land sometime tonight around 8:00, after delays and mechanical difficulties with more than one aircraft. Hopefully he'll be able to sleep in his own bed sometime tonight.

Random Pictures

2009-01-21T09:55:00.001-08:00

A few more pictures here that showcase just how much our own Baby Boy looks like his brothers did when they were babies!

On the top, Baby Boy eating carrots a few days ago. On the bottom, Big Boy B eating carrots a few years ago.

On the top, Big Boy A swinging away a few years ago. On the bottom, Baby Boy swinging away a few days ago.

This just amazes me every time I look at these!

Facebook stole my blogging mojo.

2009-01-15T20:56:00.001-08:00

I've noticed that lately, since I've been spending more time on Facebook, I've been blogging less. It's not that I don't have things I want to share with all of you out there in cyberspace, it's just that I know that my friends (a.k.a. the ones who are really going to care about what I have to say) will likely find it on Facebook quicker than they will on this blog.

That being said, a few things have happened this week that I haven't posted on Facebook, so here goes:

*Baby Boy has officially rolled over. He'd done it a few times, sporadically, throughout the last several weeks, but Tuesday night as I lay on the couch making sure the boys didn't exterminate each other, I saw it. (A side note... I remember waiting and waiting and making sure I didn't miss the first time the big boys rolled over. I didn't see Baby Boy roll over until he'd done it like 6 or 7 times. Sigh.) I let him stay on his tummy for a while, then flipped him back on his back. We repeated this process for a good 10 - 15 minutes, until he finally was over the whole thing. My baby is really growing up!

*And speaking of growing... the big boys have made huge leaps and strides in their growth over the last year. So much so, in fact, that our doctor looked at their chart, then looked at me, then looked back at their chart and re-measured them. A jump from the 50th percentile to the 95th percentile definitely qualifies as a growth spurt!

*Baby Boy will be 6 months old in all of about three hours, and is unofficially tipping the scales at 20 lbs. Yes, in our house, we grow them big. :)

So there you go. Updates you can't get on Facebook.

Easy dinner idea!

2009-01-06T18:19:00.000-08:00

Since Luke is in the process of crisscrossing the country, I'm taking advantage of this time to make some things I know he wouldn't appreciate... like soup. I love all kinds of soups for dinner, but Luke is particular about what he considers hearty enough to be a meal, so last night I made some really yummy beef, barley and vegetable soup. Not only was it pretty healthy, it was easy to make, too!

Beef, Barley and Veggie Soup
4 c beef broth
2 c water
1/2 c barley
shredded beef to your taste (I think I used about 1 cup of our leftover pot roast)
as many veggies as you can get away with (I used about 1 1/2 c frozen veggie medley)

In a medium saucepan, heat beef broth and water to a boil. (I added a few generous spoonfuls of leftover gravy here to give the soup a little more body and flavor. Yum!) Add the barley and boil for about 15 minutes. Add your beef and vegetables, bubble until hot all the way through.

If you've thought ahead, this would be great with some fresh rolls or a loaf of fresh bread. Also great with grilled cheese and some fresh fruit.

Now go have some soup already!

Resolutionating

2009-01-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

This being the beginning of a new year and all, I figured it was time to publicly announce one of my resolutions. I am checking out Weight Watchers as I type this, and am committed to losing at least 20 lbs this year.

I know this is going to be difficult for me, as I really don't care to be hungry and don't always have the necessary motivation to get off my rear to do some exercising. However, I also feel like the time has come to do something more than just let time take care of the baby weight. I also want to set a good example of healthy living for my children to follow, and that has to begin with taking care of myself.

I'll keep you posted as I journey along this path... prayers for success are appreciated!

Sledding Fun!

2008-12-19T22:22:00.001-08:00

Knock Knock

2008-12-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

The boys have discovered the joy of knock knock jokes. Being four, their sense of humor is a bit... um... unique. An example:

Knock knock.

Who's there?

F.

F who?

Quincy!

Colorwork!

2008-12-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

As with many things in knitting, learning how to do colorwork wasn't as difficult as I had anticipated. I love the result!

I plan to make Big Boy A a reverse of this hat... mostly red with some blue colorwork.

Of course, now Big Boy A says his favorite color is blue and Big Boy B says his favorite color is green.

A direct quote: "Let's go to the yarn store and get some green yarn!"

Good Samaritans

2008-12-10T08:27:00.001-08:00

I must have looked like I needed help. Lots of help. I know the gentleman who stopped to help me must have had other places to be and other things to do... he looked like a professional man and was hurrying back to his car.

However, when he saw me trying to wrangle two four-year-olds, a baby in a stroller and two gigantic boxes into the post office, he stopped to help. He very kindly smiled at me, asked if he could help bring my boxes into the post office and explained that he has four children, two of whom are twins. Not being quite the fool I was when the big boys were babies, ("That's okay... I can handle it...") I accepted his generous offer.

Once inside the post office, I filled out all of the customs paperwork to send one of the boxes to Japan (hi Callie!) and took my place in line. As soon as it was our turn to go up to the counter, I asked the big boys to help bring one of the boxes. I figure it's not too early to have them help in ways they can, and another Good Samaritan helped me bring the other box to the counter.

In one of the places notorious for long lines and rude people, two angels disguised as regular people made my day much brighter on Monday. Go pay it forward and make someone else's day.

A great way to wake up!

2008-12-03T08:02:00.001-08:00

This morning when I stumbled out of the bedroom, bleary-eyed, a beautiful sight was placed before me. The two big boys were sitting at the table Luke had made them a few years ago, quietly reading to each other. Not yelling, not fighting, not pushing, but reading. Nicely. To each other.

I am reminded that some of life's sweetest moments are the unexpected blessings we're given.

Update on to-do list

2008-11-25T08:08:00.000-08:00

Yeah. That list was a bit ambitious. I only got three of the nine things done yesterday. I'm off to tackle the rest of the list today, and tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that.

And I'll say, "Big Boy B, fingers out of your mouth," about 100 times each day while doing it. Just like I'll say, "Big Boy A, stop picking at your bellybutton," the same number of times. *sigh*

To do: Nov. 24, 2008

2008-11-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

1. Laundry, laundry, laundry. Baby Boy has to have clean gDiapers, the rest of the family just needs clean clothes.

2. Peel, boil and rice potatoes for lefse. Let the stubborn Norwegian in me shine through!

3. Grocery shop. We need all the usual stuff, plus some extras for having family in town for Thanksgiving. Hooray!

4. Clean house. Kitchen, bathrooms, vacuum, bedrooms.... you name it, it probably needs to be done.

5. Make a tutu for our niece for Christmas. Maybe find a magic wand and a tiara, too.

6. Figure out what in the heck is for dinner. With Thanksgiving this week, I'm probably not doing anything with chicken so I'll have to get more creative than usual.

7. Check on my burn... I gave myself a nasty one last night making dinner.

8. Make an appointment for our family Christmas picture.

9. Get the "Brainstorming" song from the Imagination Movers out of my head. Thanks, Disney Channel.

Moms Club!

2008-11-18T21:07:00.000-08:00

I love, Love, LOVE MOMS Club! It's been a place for me to make lasting friendships and give the boys lots of opportunities to run around with other kids their age. These are the ladies who helped me through the beginning of the year when I was pregnant and Luke was traveling to Sacramento every week... taking the boys to give me an hour or two to myself, or letting me go to my appointments without having to worry about which cupboard the boys would open while I was... um... indisposed. Chances are there's a MOMS Club chapter in your area... we're an international organization with chapters on every continent except Antarctica.

Give our new website a look... we'd love for you to join us!

Practically Perfect in Every Way

2008-11-18T13:34:00.000-08:00

No surprise here; Baby Boy is doing great. We went in for his four-month check up yesterday (can you believe it??? Four months old already!) and heard the news that he's right on track for where he should be. He's got that healthy baby pudgy face, and weighing in at almost 14 lbs, he's right on track for the 25th percentile. In fact, his height, weight and head circumference were all right at the 25th percentile. I don't remember that happening with the big boys!

The only black mark on the appointment was the diagnosis of thrush. No, no... not in Baby Boy's mouth... on me. Hooray for prescription drugs!

Caution! Imaginations at work!

2008-11-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

About the time that Baby Boy made his arrival at our house, the Big Boys invented some imaginary friends. They are Baby Fire Cat and Baby Train Cat, and these two friends have made life a bit more interesting around here. I'll let you figure out who has invented which friend. (If you've seen their beds, it shouldn't be too hard!)

Baby Fire Cat and Baby Train Cat have been fed, had their diapers changed, been snapped into their car seats and joined us on family outings.

Most recently, though, Baby Fire Cat was bounced because he was fussy and I had a chance to see exactly what the boys think I look like while bouncing Baby Boy when he gets fussy. It was pretty amazing... he had the whole bounce/pat/rock thing down pat!

I'm never quite sure when these two additions to our family are going to make an appearance, but I'm always assured of a glimpse into the Big Boys' understanding of how to care for babies. What fun!

I'm making these this weekend!

2008-11-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

I joined a coupon service from Proctor and Gamble called Pssst... and received a coupon for a free sample of these in the mail. I know that their ultimate goal is to get people to buy their products and is therefore not really for the benefit of the consumer, but these look pretty good. We might just have a hot breakfast before church on Sunday morning! Talk about a minor miracle!

Too good not to share

2008-11-06T13:22:00.001-08:00

I'm totally stealing this from Wendy. Wendy rocks. She finds the coolest stuff online!

And before you watch, for those of you who don't know, yes... I am totally a music nerd.

My Beautiful Boys

2008-11-04T15:05:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken by my mom a couple of weekends ago. We had a wonderful family reunion of sorts with my sister, her husband and daughter staying at Mom's and Dad's house along with our family. We also had a family holiday celebration with my grandmother, since she won't be able to travel for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. The only ones in the family not able to attend were my cousin and his wife, but since they live in Colorado that was to be expected.

Each time I look at these pictures, I just marvel at how beautiful my boys are!

I VOTED, and other stuff...

2008-11-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

I made sure my voice was heard today. Did you?

And moving on...

Wendy and I were talking on the phone yesterday and she asked for my chili recipe since Luke, being "Texan," never fails to marvel at how good it tastes. (And I say "Texan" in quotes because he really grew up in North Dakota and moved to Texas during his college years.) I gladly shared my secret with her, and now I'll share it with you, too, because it really is a great recipe.

Go to the grocery store. Make sure you cruise down the aisle with the taco seasonings, and find the Caroll Shelby's chili seasoning mix. Buy some ground meat (we use hamburger here) and tomato sauce. Take all of these ingredients home and follow the directions on the back of the seasoning packet.

Serve your marvelous concoction with cheese, crackers, sour cream, corn bread and sliced apples. If you need to cool down your mouth, you have two good options: milk (my choice) or a nice, cold beer (Luke's choice). The whole thing can be done in about 30 minutes and is a great meal for a gray, rainy, cold fall day. (We have this meal quite a bit from October through March.)

The corn bread can be made from the Jiffy mix (because really, $0.33 a box is hard to beat) or you can make Luke's grandmother's recipe. Here it is:

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c milk
1/4 c oil
1 egg

Preheat your oven to 425F. Combine dry ingredients. Add milk, egg and oil. Bake in a greased 8" square pan or 6 muffin cups for 15 - 20 minutes.

*I double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan. If you like your corn bread to be in thick slabs, double the recipe and bake in the square pan.

Happy meal planning, everyone!

This is my last Halloween post... I promise!

2008-11-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

I may be biased, but I think we had the cutest trick-or-treaters on the block!

Another Halloween Note...

2008-10-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is courtesy of the president of my local chapter of MOMS Club International.

If you have extra Halloween candy that you don't want to eat yourself (and who doesn't?) you can send it here:

Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, California 91406
ATTN: Charlie Othold: 818.437.6201

All candy must be individually wrapped.

Make a soldier's day and send a Halloween treat!

If you're looking for more information on what else to include in a care package, click this link.

Halloween fun!

2008-10-31T09:42:00.002-07:00

I'll post more pictures of Halloween (probably on Monday) but for now, here's one of the boys' preschool Halloween party. The kids came in costume for the day, Big Boy B was Star of the Day (he brought the snack and a show-and-tell item, Toby from our Thomas the Tank Engine set) and there was a "parade" throughout the church. The quilting ladies clapped for them, and they were able to trick-or-treat at three other places.

I say "parade" because the line was... well... what you would expect it to be if you were making a line with mostly three-year-olds and a couple of four-year-olds thrown in there. But they were sure cute!

Baby Boy was in costume, too, but promptly fell asleep and I didn't get any pictures of him. I'll get one tonight, though!

Do you see a family resemblence here?

2008-10-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

The big boys when they were babies...

And Baby Boy...

Is there any doubt that they all belong to the same family?

Halloween Candy Recall

2008-10-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

Check out your Halloween candy and if it contains Pirate's Gold chocolate coins, please, please, PLEASE do not hand it out or eat it for yourself. This is not a hoax, check it out on http://www.snopes.com. Protect not only yourselves, but your children and those in your neighborhood this Friday evening.

Do it!

2008-10-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

I certainly won't presume to tell you how to vote, but I will tell you to vote. Do it. It's important.

Laughter

2008-10-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

Our friend Jana has the best laugh. It rivals my Auntie Barb's, and that's saying something! (Some of you know, and others of you do not, that Auntie Barb almost got us kicked out of a campground at midnight for laughing too loud.)

Anyway, what brings this subject to mind is the opportunity I had to hear Jana's laughter this weekend. The fact that it was caused by something Big Boy A said is, in my opinion, even better than the laughter itself.

Jana and her husband Matt graciously invited our small group from church to their property this weekend and treated us to a campfire and hayride on Saturday. It was a glorious fall day... just the kind that Seattle teases us with every once in a while so we don't all pack our bags and leave for good. Sunny, crisp, with beautiful fall colors everywhere... it was truly a reflection of God's glory!

As the sun went down, the temperature dropped and out came the winter jackets. Up went the boys' hoods, with hats on underneath just for good measure. The hayride kept us nice and warm, and Jana remarked that she could understand why straw was used as mattress stuffing once upon a time. After a wonderful dinner, Luke brought out his Dutch oven and made a delicious cherry cobbler over the campfire. Everyone was standing around the fire, not just for warmth, but also to smell the enticing aroma coming out of the cast iron pot. During this time, Jana was talking with our boy and asked if his head was nice and toasty.

His response?

"My head's not toasty, it's hairy!"

I think four is going to be a year full of laughter at our house, with comments like these!

Reading

2008-10-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I picked up James Mitchner's Mexico and began to read it again. I've been casting around for the last several days looking for a good book to read (that I haven't already read so many times that it's not fun anymore) and was thinking I was going to have to break down and go to the library.

(Nothing against the library.... I think it's great to be able to borrow books instead of buy them... but it was a challenge to get there with two kids, and now with three it's almost impossible for me. And the online reservations are a wonderful thing, too, but that only works for me if I already know what I want to check out. I have a really hard time browsing that way.)

So anyway... as I was saying... I began reading Mexico again last night. The first time I read it, my mom was the one who suggested I pick it up as I was heading to Mexico with my youth group for a mission trip. The story is riveting and challenging... much different from the romantic comedies I've been favoring lately. I can tell that I haven't been exercising my vocabulary skills as much as I did in high school (the first time I read the book was between my junior and senior years) as I'm having to re-read some passages two or three times to really get what they're saying. The sentences are densely packed with vivid descriptions and even though I'm only about 30 pages into the book, I'm already hooked.

If you're looking for a new reading challenge, try a Mitchner book. You'll be in for an adventure!

Pictures, Pictures Everywhere

2008-10-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Maybe not everywhere... but these are some of my favorites from this week. Enjoy!

A special birthday dinner for two big boys... grilled bratwurst, potato chips and veggie sticks. Their preschool teacher made the crowns after asking a few days ago what their favorite colors are. What an amazing lady! [Edited to add: Yes, that's candy on the table next to the boys' plates. A special birthday treat from Daddy. The boys were so excited about getting candy that they were persuaded to come to the table only after being assured that they could look at the candy while eating their dinner.]

The first birthday boy...

The second birthday boy...

And cake for dessert, of course! I was going to only make one this year, but caved when the boys each requested their special cake pans so nicely. Big Boy A's is a guitar and Big Boy B's is a train.

Big Boy B with Baby Boy on Saturday morning.

Big Boy A with Baby Boy.

And finally... I know these are utterly ridiculous, but they're so darn cute! I just love these little shoes for Baby Boy and look for excuses to use them!

Happy Birthday Big Boys!

2008-10-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

Wow... four years old! Can you believe it??? Check out how big these guys are getting!

No matter how many times!

2008-09-25T08:39:00.001-07:00

This always makes me laugh... there's always something I can relate to in these funnies. Enjoy!

**********

7 reasons not to mess with children.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow
a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was
very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a
human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.

The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?'

The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him '.

**********

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while
they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each
child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked
what the drawing was.

The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'

The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl
replied, 'They will in a minute.'

**********

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her
five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to 'honor' thy Father and thy
Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to
treat our brothers and sisters?'

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family)
answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'

**********

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the
dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had
several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her
brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of
your hairs white, Mom?'

Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and
make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then
said, 'Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'

**********

The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to
persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown
up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael,
He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the
teacher, she's dead.'

**********

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying
to make the matter clearer, she said, 'Now, class, if I stood on my
head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red
in the face.'

'Yes,' the class said.

'Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary
position the blood doesn't run into my feet?'

A little fellow shouted,
'Cause your feet ain't empty.'

**********

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary
school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of
apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

'Take only ONE. God is watching.'

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table
was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.

Not trying to jinx things here...

2008-09-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

But guess who's slept for 7 - 8 hours straight for two nights in a row! Of course, when he wakes up he's famished and nurses for close to an hour. But I'll take that rather than getting up in the middle of the night!

Overheard at Breakfast

2008-09-17T08:22:00.001-07:00

This morning as the boys were sitting at the table with me, Big Boy B looked at me and asked, "Mama? Are you eating your breakfast?"

(I had a cup of coffee and nothing else... it was a rough night last night.)

"I'm drinking my coffee," I replied.

"Uh, Mama? Coffee is really healthy for mamas and daddies to drink. Milk is really healthy for boys to drink."

If he only knew... coffee is actually healthy for boys, because it makes Mama less of a bear in the morning!

Open Call

2008-09-16T10:29:00.001-07:00

Open Call

Posted using ShareThis

This is one of the blogs I read regularly... go on over and offer him some suggestions for bringing about some good luck for his little girl. She's had one hell of a year.

Look, Ma! No tears!

2008-09-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

The boys had their first day of real preschool today... no false alarms, no parents there to be with them and play with them, just drop them off and go. They were very excited last night at dinner, telling me what they were going to do and what they were going to play with when they got to school this morning. They even told Luke this morning about how they were going to be good boys and share the toys there and not hog them.

These boys are as good as their word... we got to school this morning, they were excited about being there and when we walked in the door it took all of about a nanosecond before they were off in opposite directions playing with the various toys. I did manage to get them to acknowledge me as I left for home with Baby Boy, but they were back to their own worlds by the time I'd finished saying goodbye.

I'm so glad the boys are in a place they enjoy!

Pictures from this week

2008-09-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a Dork, and Other Random Musings

2008-09-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a dork. This has manifested itself in many ways over my lifetime, and it was reiterated to me this week in a big way.

I spent a large portion of last weekend getting the boys excited about going to school and emphasizing what big boys they were getting to be, all of the new friends they were going to meet, all the new games they'd learn, all the new songs, all the new books they'd never heard. You get the idea. All day Monday, Luke and I would remind the boys every couple of hours that they were going to school on Tuesday. They were really into this whole going to school and being a big boy thing.

Tuesday morning rolled around, and I about knocked myself over with being impressed with myself... all three boys fed, dressed, reasonably happy and into the car by 9:00 a.m. I'd had a shower too! I even took the first day of school pictures and got both of the boys to look at the camera at the same time. They even both smiled at the same time. Truly momentous!

We got onto the road and headed toward school. We got there with time to spare, into the church building and down into the basement. The boys used the potty (one thing I overlooked before we left home) and we headed down the hall to the preschool room.

It was ominously dark in there.

Back upstairs we went to make sure that this was the right day.

It wasn't.

Preschool starts next Tuesday.

Oh well... at least I know I can get everyone there on time.

************

On to other random musings:

The word is spelled "definitely," people. "Definately" is wrong. Stop doing it.

************

Rachel said it well a few months ago:

Facebook is going to be the downfall of American society. I'm spending way too much of my time there, allowing me to ignore things like doing the laundry, vacuuming, and cleaning bathrooms.

************

I think of entire blog posts in the shower and then can't remember them when I get to the computer. Does this happen to anyone else?

************

Groceries. Way too expensive. That's all I have to say on that subject.

***********

Baby Boy is smiling now! I even got him to do it in response to me the other night... I've been proving myself to be a goofy fool over him ever since. The big boys think it's hilarious to watch me try to get him to smile.

***********

I had more, but can't remember the rest now. Sorry, folks, this third baby has sucked the brain cells right out of my head.

The Evergreen State Fair

2008-08-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the fair on Saturday, and it's a good thing we got out to enjoy the nice weather while we had the chance! After a beautiful day on Saturday, Sunday was gray and rainy. It felt more like October than it did August...

Enjoy the pictures. We had a great time!

Oh... and Ashley? Tiger's Blood shaved ice is a combo of cherry, tangerine and pineapple. Thanks for the tip!

Riding the airplanes with Daddy. Big Boy B saw these as soon as we walked in the gate and immediately asked to ride one!

Petting a bunny rabbit at the 4-H barn. He was really soft!

The boys discovered the goodness that is a Nut Sundae. Look at those faces and tell me they're not having a great time!

We love seeing the Clydesdale horses every year... they're so impressive! The guy working on this horse is not short, and look at the step stool he needs to reach the horse's mane.

It was fun to see a baby one... which was still taller than us!

Big Boy A got a blister and had to go the First Aid station. Not only did he get an Elmo bandaid, he also got to meet two real firefighters.

This is how Baby Boy spent the entire fair... asleep in the stroller.

When we got home, he did this for three whole hours.

Since you asked...

2008-08-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pictures of Baby Boy. My picture taking days have been somewhat limited lately so there are only a few to choose from, but you'll get the idea. We're all infatuated with him and think he's a pretty good looking little guy.

Endless hours of fun.

2008-08-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Try this. It'll blow your mind!

Head on over...

2008-08-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

to Stephanie's blog. She's written some wonderfully insightful words regarding John Edwards and his latest reason for being in the media's eye.

I'm reminded that I'm not the one who gets to judge others... that's totally God's call. And I'm also reminded that if we ask with a contrite heart and a total willingness to put that behavior behind us, we're forgiven. Period. As a good Lutheran girl at heart, I still wake up repeating what I learned in my Confirmation classes all those years ago... each day we wake up as forgiven sinners. All of us. So what do you say we go easy on John Edwards and let his family heal without dragging them through the media's slime?

Message received.

2008-08-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how babies can send such clear messages without saying a word, isn't it? For example, last night the message from about 6:00 until 8:30 was this:

Feed me.

If you're not going to feed me, hold me.

If you're not going to feed me or hold me, do not try to put that pacifier in my mouth. It won't work.

But guess what? He also slept in his crib all night for the first time last night. Yay!

Gotta love Sesame Street.

2008-08-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this works, folks. Trust Sesame Street (even if they are the evil ones who came up with the idea of Elmo) to take a song from pop culture and turn it into something fun for adults and educational for kids.

Edited to add: One of my favorite tv watching memories from childhood (besides watching the Muppets every week with a big bowlful of popcorn and red KoolAid) is watching Sesame Street with Dad one day when Cab Calloway was on to sing the ABCs. Dad remembers it too, and brought it up while staying here to help with Baby Boy.

Some positive news reporting

2008-08-05T11:46:00.001-07:00

Read this. It'll encourage you about the youth in your community.

Things we've learned

2008-07-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

1. Baby Boy is a pretty easy baby. He eats, sleeps, does his um.... jobs... and is starting to open his eyes more. (They're blue, by the way. At least for now.)

2. Baby Boy likes to sleep more during the day than at night. We've gotta try to fix that. Soon.

3. Big Boy B is not allergic to bees. Unfortunately, we had to find that out the hard way when several bees got stuck in his clothing the other night and stung him five times. Five. Times. Astonishingly, after the initial trauma, he was pretty much back to normal by the end of the evening.

4. Big Boy A likes to play with Baby Boy's pacifiers. We're washing them frequently as we're not always exactly sure where Big Boy A's hands have been before he handles the things.

5. Baby Boy is almost back up to his birth weight and his jaundice is almost gone. Our family doctor is pleased with this so much that he's said we don't need to come in for another checkup, unless we want to. In his words, "You probably have other things to do with your time right now." Um... yeah.

Announcing...

2008-07-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

Today the part of Holly is being played by Honorary Favorite Auntie Wendy. I have the infinite joy in announcing the arrival of a sweet baby boy, here known (for now) as Baby Boy. He weighs 7 lbs. 2 oz., and is 20 1/4 inches long, and was born at 1:09 pm. Mommy and Baby are doing just fine.

The waiting game

2008-07-15T10:39:00.001-07:00

After a few false alarms this weekend, I finally decided that I wasn't in labor... but there were some tense moments.

This baby may be making his debut before August 4, after all.

Small victories.

2008-07-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up with a charley horse in my leg at about 4:30 a.m. In the past several weeks, if I woke at 4:30 or later, I would roll around in bed, not being able to go back to sleep, miserable until I finally decided it wasn't worth it and would get up to start my day. But this morning, wonder of wonders, I was able to go back to sleep! I was so excited when I woke up at 7:00 I could hardly stand it.

And I'll be drinking more water today to try to avoid another charley horse tonight.

And I shall call him "George."

2008-07-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

So do you remember the Loony Toons skits when the Abominable Snowman discovers Bugs Bunny and immediately falls in love with him? Right after Bugs delivers his famous line about "I knew I shoulda taken a left turn at Albuquerque," he's snatched up by the AS and forcibly cuddled.

AS's monologue goes something like this: "And I will love him and pet him and feed him and call him George." All the while, Bugs Bunny is being loved to the brink of death. It's a good thing this is a cartoon, otherwise Bugs Bunny might be in some serious trouble!

So where am I going with all of this? The other day as we were driving in the car (to the park, I think, but that's not really important) Big Boy B piped up from the back seat, "Um, Mama, when the doctor takes the baby out of your tummy I'm going to name him Ricky."

I was floored. We don't even know anyone named Ricky... not even excepting Uncle Rick, as he's always "Uncle Rick" and not ever "Uncle Ricky."

I have no idea where he got the name... but a colleague of Luke's has warned me that the name might just stick despite what Luke and I fill out on the birth certificate. (It won't be Ricky, by the way.) She told me that she knew a family that, despite the parents' best efforts to choose a name for their second child, ended up calling the child by the nickname the older daughter had chosen for him.

It was "Cool Shark."

I guess in the grand scheme of things, Ricky isn't so bad.

It's been a while...

2008-06-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't really felt like I've had that much to post lately, and then all of the sudden we had lots going on here! Get ready for a few pictures to help describe what we've been doing over in our neck of the woods lately.

Candy Land!
Big Boy A's favorite game of the moment... and yes, this picture is from just a few days ago when it was still chilly enough in the evening to put the boys in winter pjs. The weather is looking to actually act like summer this weekend... we'll see if that happens or not!

History in Motion
We took the boys on a train ride near Mt. Rainier and had the chance to see both a steam engine and a diesel engine. The boys had a great time... at least until the engines started up and made way more noise than their Thomas the Tank Engine toys at home. (That would be none... )

Big Boy B got over the scare pretty quickly, but Big Boy A took quite a while to decide that he was happy he was on a train.

When the boys were offered a chance to wear the conductor's hat, Big Boy B jumped at it. Big Boy A said, "No, thank you," rather petulantly.

This was Big Boy A's face for about half of the train ride.

Big Boy B enjoyed looking out the windows at all the beautiful scenery.

Finally! A smile!

And do you know what the Emergency Room in Monitor, WA looks like? I do. (I'm only making light of this because everything's fine. I'm okay and so is the baby.)

Endless hours of entertainment...
This has been the boys' choice for backyard entertainment lately... digging a giant hole next to the garden. It will literally keep them busy for hours. My friend from Moms Club, Rachel, said the other day that one of her mentors in college said for a toy to be a really good one for kids, it needs to be 90% kid and 10% toy. I think this definitely qualifies!

So there you go. (Or as Big Boy B would say, "Ereyago.") We're looking forward to the nice weather this weekend... rumor has it we should see temperatures close to 90 on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully that means we'll get some nice pictures to post again soon!

Yuuuuuuummm....

2008-06-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

The better the pecans you use in this recipe, the better these bars turn out!

Pecan Pie Bars

Cookie Crust:
2 1/2 c flour
1 c cold butter or margarine (I use butter)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
4 eggs
1 1/2 c light or dark karo syrup (I usually use light, but that's just preference)
1 1/2 c sugar
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c pecan halves or coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cookie crust:
In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat the flour, butter or margarine, sugar and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. (I use my Kitchen Aid to do this, but before I had it I used a regular hand-held pastry blender.) Press firmly into a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan which has been sprayed with cooking oil. (I don't have a pan this size, so I use a combo of 9 x 13 and 7 x 5, but have also used the bottom portion of the broiler pan.) Bake for 23 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Top with filling. Finish baking as directed below.

Filling:
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the pecans. Immediately pour over hot crust. Spread evenly.

Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is firm around edges. Cool completely. Cut into 2 x 1 1/2 inch bars.

*A side note... when Luke and I had first started dating, I actually did have a jelly roll pan the right size for this bar. I was making these for the staff room one night when Luke was coming to my apartment for dinner, and right before he got there I had just finished putting the filling in the crust and popped it back in the oven. The pan warped a bit and I ended up with a fire in my stove and my whole apartment smelled like burnt sugar for days afterward. I find the extra insurance of making these in the 9 x 13 pan alleviates this problem!

Musings... the lighter side

2008-06-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

I listen to the radio a lot during the day while the boys and I are home. And I just have to say... it makes me happy every time I hear a commercial for the "Beef... it's what's for dinner" campaign. You may ask yourself why a beef commercial could make me happy, but then you'd need to realize that Matthew McConaughey is the celebrity voice of that ad campaign.

It takes about all of my willpower not to go out and buy a steak right then, with the ridiculous hope that he might just show up at our house for dinner if he only knew we were having beef.

Musings

2008-06-10T09:29:00.001-07:00

Tim and Amanda (known to our boys as Mr. Tim and Miss Amanda) came to dinner last night... Amanda was in town to graduate with her Ph.D. and take interviews. We'd sure like to see her get a job here instead of New Jersey!

As we were fixing dinner together, Tim asked me a question that made me think...

He wanted to know how this pregnancy was comparing to the last one and what was going on at this point when I was pregnant with the boys.

Three and a half years ago, when I was 31 weeks pregnant with the boys, this was what was happening in my life:

I went in for a non-stress test, which is pretty routine with twin pregnancies. While hooked up to the monitor, I started having contractions every five minutes and my blood pressure was elevated, so the nurses sent me to Labor and Delivery to be monitored a little more closely. The nurses assured me that this wasn't unusual and I'd probably be on my way in a couple of hours. So this is something close to the message I left Luke on his cell phone as he was in meetings all day:

(In a breezy, cheerful tone, mind you)

"Hi Honey, it's me. I'm at the doctor's and they want me to go to Labor and Delivery. I should be home in a couple of hours. I love you! Bye!"

Sheesh.

Several hours later, I was still having contractions and my blood pressure just kept going up and up, and it was the end of the workday, and I think that Luke drove like a madman to get to the hospital after work. It was soon determined that I would need to be admitted overnight for more monitoring, but not before the lovely nurse persuaded me to eat a turkey sandwich. (I remember that it was surprisingly good, especially for hospital food.)

Just as I was finishing the sandwich, the nurse and doctor came in and informed me that I'd need to be hooked up to an IV solution of magnesium sulfate which would prevent me from eating or drinking anything while that treatment was going on. (Several years later, I figured out that they already knew that before they got me to eat the sandwich... they were giving me an opportunity for a "last meal," if you will.)

So anyway... the short answer to Tim's question about how things were going last time compared to this time is simple. Last time at this point in my pregnancy, I was in the hospital fighting to stay alive while my blood pressure skyrocketed and my internal organs slowly turned against me. This time, I'm still healthy and able to take care of my family. My blood pressure continues to be better than I could have imagined. On Saturday I'll reach the 32 week mark... and everything after that is uncharted territory for me. It's scary and exciting at the same time.

Praise God for a healthy pregnancy!

Let's try this again...

2008-05-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

We'll see if Blogger will let me post pictures today. :)

The boys had a great time on the first plane ride they'll remember... a two-prop plane. Loud, but exciting just the same.

Thunder Mountain Railroad in Horseshoe Bend, ID. We thought about taking the train ride, but decided to go back to the hotel and swim instead.

This is the view of the Capitol Building from Boise Depot, exactly one mile from landmark to landmark.

At the park at Boise Depot, Daddy taught the boys how to roll down hills. Lots of fun!

Doesn't Big Boy A look like a little man in this picture?

And here's a typical Big Boy B action shot... running forward and looking backward. It's a wonder he's not covered head to toe in scrapes and bruises for how often this occurs!

Boise Depot at sundown... a wonderful park and just beautiful any time of day. We came here twice, and each time there were many parties of people having their pictures taken by professional photographers.

Just a few pictures

2008-05-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend in Boise, ID with Kirk and Shelley and their two boys... it was wonderful! I'll just post a few pictures from our trip here, but watch for more to come.

Correction: I'll post pictures as soon as Blogger stops vomiting them back out.

I'm not sure this is exactly "top secret."

2008-05-22T08:36:00.001-07:00

If it's being spread all over the Associated Press and my Yahoo! homepage, is Senator Obama's new search for a possible running mate really "top-secret?"

Just wondering.

I like their name for it better.

2008-05-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were able to visit some friends' new property... beautiful property with a gazebo and pond. Since there are no houses or structures on the property except for the gazebo, it was a bit like camping, but only for the afternoon and only 30 minutes away. Still, the preparations took all morning, including a trip to the grocery store to get some snacks for the adults and boys. One of the snacks I brought was trail mix, because what's a camping trip without trail mix?

However, when the boys saw it and examined it further, they came up with a name of their own for it and I like it much better.

They call it Candy Nuts.

And so it begins.

2008-05-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

Official wake up time this morning: 4:07 a.m.

And that's by my bedside clock that is set at least 10 minutes faster than the rest of the house.

Knowing that there was no more sleep for me this morning, I gave in and got up rather than toss and turn and keep Luke awake for the next two and a half hours, instead opting to check e-mail and do some online shopping for cute maternity capris as we're expected to be in the upper 70s today and into the 80s this weekend. Abruptly.

Obviously the people who've decided what's in fashion for expecting mamas this spring and summer did not consult me... because there's a lot of ugly stuff out there, and seriously, Fashion Industry? Is it too much to ask for a cute pair of capris, with a full belly panel, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg??? Because seriously... the low- and mid-rise styles just don't cut it for me. There are various reasons for this, which I'll spare you, and until something drastic happens (like not being pregnant anymore) these legs will not be seeing shorts this summer.

So I struck out on the capris and decided to look at the other choices there are for bottoms. And what did I find? Bermuda shorts. God save us, Bermuda shorts are back in style. I remember when they were first in style, and they were ugly then. At least now they're in more subdued colors and not oh-my-goodness-my-retinas-are-burning-out-of-my-eye-sockets fluorescents, but still.

On to skirts... they're nice and breezy and more forgiving than shorts, but still casual enough to wear during the week. I found several that I liked, but again with the price thing. Why on earth would I spend that much money for something that I'm going to wear for only a couple more months?

In an attempt to avoid more frustration, I gave up and decided to get into the shower. And let me tell you... it felt luxurious to get the first shower and not worry about using up all the hot water because I knew that Luke wouldn't be taking his shower for at least another hour and a half. And I did just that... I stood in the shower until all of the hot water was gone. The last time I did that my shower was all of about 5 minutes.

And it was great. Until I started looking at at the shower head. And then I noticed that there were hard water deposits restricting the flow of water in some of them. So of course, I had to do something about that right then. And then I started thinking about all of the clutter in our home and how we really need to get rid of it before the baby is born and what exactly that would entail, and which room and/or area of a room I'd like to tackle first.

(Those of you who know me well can pick up your jaws off the floor and put your teeth back in your heads.)

I think the nesting has begun.

A Political Prediction from 1986

2008-05-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

As I've been watching the campaigning for the White House the last several weeks, I've been reminded of my third grade teacher many times. She was a smart lady and, among other useful things like teaching me my multiplication tables, she made a prediction that seems to be coming true.

She told our class that she believed we would see a black male president before we would see a white woman president.

Now, more than 20 years later, this battle is playing itself out in a very public way. I wonder if Miss Holes remembers saying this all those years ago.

(Almost) No-Knead Bread, part 2

2008-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

I had intended to put a link into the last post for the recipe for the bread, but I'm not a member of Cook's Illustrated so the link wouldn't work for me. Now I guess I'll just have to type out the recipe and hope that I don't make any egregious typos!

First, though... look at this beautiful bread!

I told you this was the most beautiful bread to ever come out of my oven.

And now, for the recipe.

This was printed in the Seattle Times on Wednesday... a great recipe, but the day you bake it takes a pretty lengthy time commitment.

(Almost) No-Knead Bread
6 c flour
1 tsp quick-rise yeast
1Tbsp salt (Mortons... not Kosher)
1 1/2 c plus 4 Tbsp water (14 ounces)
2 Tbsp white vinegar
3/4 c mild-flavored lager beer

Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add wet ingredients. Mix the dough, scraping and folding, till it reaches a "shaggy" consistency. (I'm not so sure about the shaggy look... mine was wet and gluey looking.)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours. (I let mine sit for closer to 24 hours... it's a pretty forgiving dough.)

Expect to find bubbles after an overnight rest. This is what you want to see, and the longer it sits, the bubblier it will get.

In a 10 or 12 inch skillet, place a 12x18 piece of parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray. Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead about 10 - 15 times and then cut the dough in half. (You'll want to knead each half, too.) Form the first half into a round loaf, tucking in the ends of the loaf under it, letting it rise for 2 hours in the skillet.

About 1/2 hour before you bake, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F with the Dutch oven inside... lid on. Just before putting the dough into the Dutch oven, dust the top of your loaf with flour and use your kitchen shears to snip an "X" into the top of the loaf.

Next, very carefully take the extremely hot pot out of the oven, remove the lid and grabbing the ends of the parchment, transfer the dough from the pat to the pot. It's okay if the ends of the parchment hang over the side of the pot a bit.

Turn the oven down to 425 degrees F, replace the lid, shove the whole thing back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then, carefully remove the lid and bake the bread for another 30 minutes.

At some point get back to the other unbaked ball of dough.

Technically, you're supposed to wait 2 hours for the bread to cool before slicing it. Ours made it about 30 minutes... if that.

Happy baking!

(Almost) No-Knead Bread

2008-05-09T08:26:00.001-07:00

I have a friend who's been raving about this bread for a couple of years, promising to send me the recipe and never quite getting around to it. When I saw this recipe in the paper, I jumped on the chance to make it.

So, on Wednesday morning I assembled all of my ingredients and went to work mixing up the dough. After seeing the resulting gluey mess, I was skeptical that this would turn into anything resembling bread dough, let alone bread dough I'd want to use, but ignored the overwhelming urge to add a few more cups of flour. (I did, however, increase the yeast from 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp. I just couldn't see how 1/2 tsp of yeast would leaven that entire thing.) I covered the bowl and figured that even if it was a flop, I wasn't out much time, money or effort and could chock it up to a misprint in the recipe and try again with more flour again later.

Thursday morning I peeked into my bowl to find (much to my surprise) something that looked incredibly like bread dough. It was still a bit wet and sticky, but it was definitely more like bread dough than goop. I wasn't able to get to the actual baking process until later that afternoon, but read the recipe obsessively several times throughout the day to make sure I had all I needed to have a successful baking experience.

After hauling up my husband's dutch oven from the camping supplies and letting the bread rise in the parchment-lined saute pan I was finally ready to bake my first loaf of bread. About half-way through the baking (after removing the lid and placing the dutch oven back in the oven to finish baking for the last 1/2 hour) I wondered to myself if all of this would be worth it. I mean, I could have kneaded my bread yesterday and been done with the whole thing in a matter of 4 hours, and had 4 loaves on top of it instead of two. But at this point there was no turning back so I plugged on and prepared the second loaf to rise and bake.
The loaf of bread that came out of my oven was perhaps the most beautiful, crusty, fragrant loaf of bread I've ever made. It looked like one of those loaves they sell in the specialty bakeries that cost several times more than what the ingredients had cost me... and I was thrilled to my toes. I began to have more benevolent thoughts about this process and eagerly put the second loaf in the oven to bake.

One of my least expected, and very pleasant, surprises about this process was the crackling noise the loaf made as it cooled. I called my dear friend to share with her my excitement over my success and she insisted that I take my first bite with her on the phone so she could hear my yummy noises. This wasn't a tough request to comply with as I was chomping at the bit to cut into this loaf and slather a piece with butter. And I have to say, the second loaf turned out better than the first.

While it won't be one I make every day, this will definitely be in my repertoire of recipes for special occasions. My family devoured the first loaf and I have made the second loaf a permission item to ensue that I get at least a couple of pieces.

It must mean he loves me, right?

2008-05-06T15:53:00.001-07:00

Desperately in need of a nap this afternoon, I put the boys down for quiet time, checked my e-mail and was just heading upstairs to take my own nap for a while when Big Boy A came rumbling down the stairs. He sweetly asked if he could snuggle with me, and knowing that he's a better snuggler (aka he actually lays still) than his brother, I agreed. However, he wasn't into the snuggling for long, and soon was up and playing quietly while I dozed on the living room floor.

I woke intermittently to make sure that he wasn't tearing apart the house, only to succumb to sleep again soon after making sure all was well.

At one point I woke to gentle pats on the top of my head. Repeated gentle pats. I groggily put my hand up to the top of my head to see what was going on, and found a sticker. Yes, Big Boy A had gotten into my Bible and pulled out the stickers that I stash there for Sunday morning entertainment for the boys. He had an entire sheet of Cars stickers (thanks, Auntie Wendy!) and had very gently placed each one of them on my head. In my hair, on my barrette, even on my pillow.

Given how much my boys love the movie, I'm flattered that he'd share with me.

Be Afraid.

2008-05-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in my house, a sippy cup is lurking. I realized yesterday it's been gone for about a week, probably with just enough milk in it to curdle and stink to high heaven when it is finally found. Or as Callie says, "It's old and gross."

I'm frightened. If you had any sense about you, you would be too.

You may hear my retching from where you are when I actually do find this cup. It may be destined for the garbage.

*sigh*

Naps... they're not just for toddlers!

2008-04-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed reading this article... it gives credence to my life-long habit of catching a nap whenever I could. Read it for yourself!

Edited to add: Here are my results from the sleep survey. All I have to say is, um.... duh.

Hello and thanks for taking the How Tired Are You? test. This is your first step in assessing your personal nap needs. After figuring out your daytime sleepiness score, begin a regular nap regimen. In a couple of weeks, take the How Tired Are You? test again. Your score will probably decrease. Congratulations, you've now become your own sleep scientist with hard evidence that napping has improved your test score!

You score is 11

Interpreting your score:

A score of less than 8 indicates normal sleep function. For already active and alert people who score less than 8, a nap will be an enrichment tool, a means of adding a up to a second "whole day" (in terms of your mental clarity and overall stamina) in the middle of your day, or just ramping up your alertness, cognitive and/or motor skills, depending on the length of your nap.

A score between 8 and 10 indicates mild sleepiness. For people scoring in this range, a nap will not only create a second day but also will clear away any daytime sleepiness that can prevent optimal performance.

A score between 11 and 15 indicates moderate sleepiness. People scoring in this range should be concerned that their sleepiness may be interfering with their daily activities, concentration, relationships, and so on. (FYI: People receiving treatment for obstructive sleep apnea score usually about 11.7.) A nap will be an essential tool for the creation and maintenance of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

A score between 16 and 20 indicates severe sleepiness. People scoring in this range should speak to their physician about testing for a sleep disorder, while also being sure to take regular naps. (People with untreated sleep apnea score about 16.0, and people with narcolepsy score about 17.5.)

A score between 21-24 indicates excessive sleepiness. People scoring in this range often suffer from a severe sleep disorder.

How you know your husband travels too much.

2008-04-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

Last night Luke looked at me and said, "It's Sunday night. I feel like I should be at Rick and Wendy's."

He's there so often on Sunday nights, in fact, that they gave him a key to their house so he can let himself in if they're not home.

He spent his birthday with them last week.

And then we started talking about how nice it was when all we needed to do to see them was walk across the parking lot from our apartment to theirs.

We miss them.

Trying to do our part...

2008-04-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

We're trying to do things just a bit greener here at our house lately. We've planted a berry patch, have seedlings going for a mini-veggie garden (although with six varieties of veggies I'm not sure how "mini" that is) and I at least think about reusing the paper bags I get at the grocery store on a regular basis.

We recycle. A lot. In fact, this week we had more in the recycling container than in the garbage can.

When economically feasible, I try to buy organic products for our family.

We've toyed around with the idea of joining a farmer's co-op to have boxes of fresh fruits and veggies delivered to the house, but it's expensive and we're picky enough to be wary of not getting to choose the kind of produce we receive.

But really, we're just in baby steps mode over here. And it's been a long time coming. However, as I think about our family and how green we are or not green we are, I'm reminded of a sermon our pastor preached soon after we started attending our church. (Maybe I should e-mail him a link to this post to prove that I actually do pay attention!)

Anyway... part of his sermon dealt with the Garden of Eden and since he's literate in Hebrew, he was telling us that when we read the words, "And God gave them dominion over all the land and all the beasts," what that really means in the original Hebrew was that God gave them stewardship over the land and beasts. That got me thinking about what kind of a steward I am, and what I could do to be a better one.

So we're taking baby steps over here. They're small, but they're a start.

Check out other blogging mamas over here, and get some other ideas on how to be a bit greener yourselves!

A new berry patch!

2008-04-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

We've begun the foray into gardening over here... after a beautiful weekend, we decided it was time to get our new plants into the ground. The boys helped Luke get the ground ready, and I helped decide where the plants should go. (See how I neatly maneuvered myself out of the manual labor?)

In order for the bed to look like it fits with the rest of the yard, Luke painstakingly moved boulders that we'd dug up when we put in the lawn and rolled them into place. Although it took more effort than simply getting paving stones from the Home Depot, I have to admit it looks great.

The boys had a wonderful time working in the yard with Daddy, and even got to use the tools that are just the right size for them!

"Like, two months."

2008-04-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

The boys, being three and a half, are notorious around here for breaking things. Most of the time it's unintentional, but sometimes it seems to be deliberate. In particular, there are two pickup trucks that have tires that come off the wheels and seem to be irresistible. If we slip up and let the trucks stay in the boys' room during quiet time or bedtime at night, we're likely to find that sometime during that time, one or both of the boys has chewed off the tires (yes, I said chewed them off...) and then has continued to chew on the tires like gum. Sometimes I just don't understand what's going on in their minds!

Well, so. Last night, while picking up the toys before herding the boys off to bed, Luke looked on the floor and saw one of the trucks. It had no tires on it. When he asked the boys how long it had been like that, Big Boy A piped up with, "Like, two months."

We couldn't keep from laughing... it was just too funny!