Kisses

We love giving kisses in our home. Jonah has finally graduated from the slobbery open-mouthed kiss to real kisses and he loves to shower us with them.

Up until a few days ago, Jonah was very hesitant to get close to Sophie. I decided that he was in such a good mood that he might actually allow it. Well...he did more than allow it! He even averted his attention from his beloved ball for a few seconds of snuggles and kisses!

Bon Anniversaire!

Jonathan turned 29 last Friday. I can't believe he's almost 30 (Sorry, Honey)!!! We spent the day in Colorado with my parents. We hung around and then went to dinner at Red Robin with Jeff and Audra.

This year for his birthday, Jon wanted a Wii. So we combined forces and got one with his birthday money. I figured the Wii is something we can all do together. We even got 3 controllers so Jonah doesn't feel left out if we happen to be playing it when he's awake. I'm pretty anti-gaming so this was big for me. My justification was that it's more active than normal video games and the games are family friendly (at least the ones we'll be buying).

In honor of Jon's birthday, I decided to write a short poem.

J is for joyous
O is for observational
N is for neat
A is for accumulator of receipts
T is for Tabasco Sauce
H is for hard-worker
A is for always a hard-worker

N is for noticeably hard-worker

Here's to a wonderful father!

Here's to my best friend who loves the same things I love!

Here's to my wonderful Jonathan!

Dearest Jonathan, thank you for being such a wonderful husband and father! I can't wait to spend eternity with you! Happy Birthday!

Wyoming, AKA The Armpit of the World

Wyoming is the most horrible place on earth. It's IMPOSSIBLE to overstate this. My feelings were magnified by infinity last night when my little family was on our way home from Fort Collins, CO from my parents house. My parents used to live in Littleton (one of the most wonderful places on earth) which meant that we'd drive to Utah on I-70. That route is much preferred as it completely bypasses the hell-like Wyoming and I-80. Since my parents have moved, it's much shorter (when the weather cooperates, that is) to take I-80. During the winter months...well, more like 8 months out of the year really...let's say September through April, the trip is likely to be very dangerous with snowy and icy roads almost the whole way. I've had numerous unplanned nights spent in Rawlins (who would plan to stay in the armpit of the armpit?).

On our journey home last night, nearly the entire trip was made going 40 mph through white-outs and on ice-covered roads. On one particularly bad spot, Jon was driving about 40 mph when the car decided it had a mind of it's own and started fish-tailing. We were at the beginning of a bridge and somehow managed to do a 180 without hitting either guardrail. Luckily there were no cars next to us, just a semi coming behind us. He saw us spin and slowed way down, giving us enough time to turn around and resume our journey. It was as if the whole thing happened in slow-motion and all I can remember doing is grabbing the "oh shiz" bar and saying, "Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot!" Then once the reality set in of what happened I broke down.

We nearly stopped over in Rock Springs but decided not to as the roads looked clearer than they had been up to that point. We ended up having horrible roads for pretty much the rest of the drive. Our little apartment has never sounded so inviting and comfortable as it did during that drive.

On a good note, we had a wonderful weekend with my parents, Jeff, Audra, and Eva. How wonderful to have such an awesome family. I love them all dearly. Plus, Jon had an excellent interview at CU Boulder for the MBA program there. We're excited to hear from them and the rest of the schools we've applied for. I'll keep you all posted on those happenings.

The Creative Itch

There are many things I do to satisfy (scratch) my creative itch. I recently finished a blanket for Sophie...nothing fancy, just a flannel blanket with satin binding. I've also started making her hair bows. There are countless companies out there making bows, leggings, tutus, etc. and charging an outrageous amount (which is worth it if you don't want to mess with it yourself) but I've decided that I have enough time during the day where I'm bored and watching TV that I can instead sit in my creative corner and work on projects.

When my mom was here after Sophie was born she helped me organize my projects into a nice corner in my kitchen. I dream that someday I'll have a craft/sewing room where I don't have to worry about where I leave the scissors, hot glue gun (which Jonah thinks is an airplane), or needles....somewhere, perhaps, like THIS!

This is just one idea of my "CREATIVE LOUNGE". That's what I'm going to call it. I've decided to start a folder (digital, of course) of pictures and ideas that inspire me and things that I'd like to have in my dream house.

For now, this is what I have. It also serves as our garage, music room, and dining area.

You can see that I've adopted the kitchen table as part of my space. This is due to the obvious lack of space elsewhere.

This is where I do my sewing. It works fine for now...except that when I get going really fast, the table and sewing machine bounce like I'm riding in the rodeo. You can imagine the fine stitching that results.

Here are some of the bows I've made. I crocheted this first one and then felted it by hand.


I also crocheted the one on the top. I know it's not much but they were my first crocheted flowers and I taught myself by looking up patterns online.


Sometimes I lie in bed at night wondering what other projects I'd like to take on. I have a half-finished sock monkey for my niece, several scrapbooks, skirts to be embellished, and a few other projects that are in an indefinite holding pattern. I'd like to start making and designing some baby clothes next. We'll see how that goes.

Some Kind of Wonderful

Our kids bring us great joy in life. Here are a few things that make us smile.

We call this the "balled-up" position...it's the most wonderful way to have a baby sleeping on you.

This is also the "balled-up" position. Equally cute.

When babies smile at us.

Pretty baby in her pretty dresses...even though she's mad.

Bath time!

When babies fall asleep in the jogger...or just stay quiet for more than 5 minutes! (This was taken just a couple of days ago. It was the initiation run with my new jogger. It passed with flying colors!)

When Jonah dances!

When Sophie talks!

We finally bought...

ONE OF THESE.

I don't know how many of you had to go out and buy one of these due to the fact that your TV just isn't cool enough for a digital signal but we're definitely in the category. About 3 years ago we bought a nice new TV. This was before the whole flat panel craze so our TV arguably takes up 1/3 of our living room (and not in a good way). The great thing is that we applied nice and early for the $40 government coupon and got not one, but 2. The bad thing is that with Sophie's arrival and the mayhem of all the holidays, we forgot to use them within the 90 day allotted time so they are expired. Now we're not eligible for anymore...which doesn't matter because the government ran out of money for them a while ago. So I caved and bought one on ebay.

P.S. We don't have cable or a satellite. I know we're a minority but we like it this way. When we have access to cable, we get wayyyy to addicted and find ourselves living Jerry Seinfeld's observation that the last part of your body awake at night is your hand controlling the remote, buying the Ginsu Knives no less.

Pee Pee Potty

About 4 months ago I bought a little potty for Jonah. As he was nearing 18 months I got revved up about the prospects of having him potty trained. So far the potty has been used only as yet another toy to play with in the bathroom while we get ready. He refuses to sit on it longer than 5 seconds so I'm not rushing him. I figure it needs to be on his own time (I'll start taking serious action if he nears 3 and isn't potty trained--because lets face it, I might as well be wiping up adult poop at that point).

Today I didn't get to go running before Jon left for work; which pretty much rules out the option of a workout outside the home for the day. So I did a little half hour work out video that my sister lent me while Jonah made comments about "Mommy dancing". Afterwards, I put Jonah in the bath. When it was time to get out and lather him up with lotion and get him dressed, he slipped out of his room while still totally nakey and started playing around in the kitchen. I walked out to get him and saw him squatting on the floor red-faced. I ran over and saw that he had peed on the floor and quickly picked him up and put him on the toilet (NOT his training potty but the real one). As I got out the mop to clean up his mess, I heard SPLASH and ran to find that he had fallen in the toilet. I couldn't help but laugh. I think he was pretty scared but the kid is so darn skinny that I guess it was inevitable. I wish I could have taken a picture.

I think this event today has guaranteed another 6 months in diapers until he has overcome his fear of falling in.


This picture has nothing to do with the post but I wanted to post it a while ago and didn't. I took these pictures in the fall.

The Blessing

It was a wonderful weekend for us here. Mom and Dad Green flew in yesterday for Sophie's blessing. Yesterday we spent the day up at the Gateway in Salt Lake and did a little shopping. We found a few prizes at the Lucky store and Anthro (that's what we call Anthropologie--a most favorite store). I also found some fabulous shoes at Black Chandelier. They're actually the same shoes my mom purchased there a few months ago and I've been coveting them ever since. I sported these new shoes today at Sophie's blessing.

After the shopping, we got a little dinner at The Olive Garden, for which we waited an hour and a half. What a ridiculous wait! But we got two free appetizers because of it, so I guess it was OK.

During that hour and a half wait we went over to the South Towne Center (we were in Sandy) and little Sophie got her darling little ears pierced. I was a little nervous but had the best moral support there (Thanks, Mom, Laura, and Annie!!). She looks absolutely adorable with her new little earrings.

Today Jon blessed Sophie and it was a wonderful blessing. I am so grateful to all of our family that were able to make it there. There's nothing like sharing those special moments with the ones you love.

Sophie was blessed in the same blessing dress as me and I fashioned a little white hair bow for her. She also wore little white moccasins that my mom bought for her in Santa Fe on the last annual trip to Indian Market.

Sophie and her cousin Lauren.

After the blessing, Jon had to wind down a little bit (the nerves) so he and Christophe spent a good 2 hours building spaceships with their childhood Lego collection. Christophe and Jon would periodically "show off" their creations to their loving wives who would praise and adore their projects as they would one of their children's. I'm pretty sure those two spaceships ended up on a tall shelf in the playroom instead of being taken apart and put back in the box. I guess I know what to get Jon for his birthday next month.

Birthday Bliss

Well, for those of you who weren't aware, I turned 26 last week. Jonathan was an absolute saint and let me do whatever I wanted all day. So I went to the gym, got a pedicure (waaaayyy overdue), and then he took me to a fantastic dinner at PF Chang's. I DID eat the Great Wall of Chocolate, for those of you who read my last post, and it was completely worth it. I felt sick for about an hour afterwards but the pain didn't compare with the chocolaty bliss that induced it. I also discovered a new favorite restaurant. You must try Pizzeria Seven-twelve. It's amazing. Check out their website!

My good friend posted a to-do list for her 26th birthday and I decided I would kind of mimic her idea but switch it around to a "13 Things I've Done" and "13 Things I'd Like To Do" list...thereby adding up to 26.

So here we go.

13 Things I've Done
1. Graduated from BYU
2. Ran 2 marathons
3. Married Jonathan in the temple
4. Had 2 babies
5. Gave birth naturally
6. Backpacked through Europe
7. Lived in Hawaii
8. Learned to watercolor
9. Took up photography
10. Learned French & Spanish
11. Learned to play piano
12. Completed a triathlon
13. Took up Cycling

13 Things I'd Like To Do
1. Learn to play the cello
2. Run more marathons
3. Have more babies
4. Live in Europe
5. Own my own business
6. Go on a mission
7. Write a book
8. Go to cosmetology school
9. Travel the world
10. Go to culinary arts school
11. Be fluent in French
12. Open a restaurant
13. Have my dream home

I know some of these are pretty boring but I didn't want to spend all night blogging. I get too little sleep as it is!

More posts to come with pictures of the little ones.

Resolution Jeopardized?

Jon and I have started Weight Watchers. I have about 30 pounds to shed after having Sophie and Jon has some sympathy weight to get rid of too. We have done really well these last 2 weeks and have already lost weight! Jon has lost about 7 lbs and I've lost about 5.

My birthday is tomorrow and we have a tradition of going to PF Chang's for my birthday dinner (it's the only time we can sort of justify it). We usually eat all 3 courses, ending with the Great Wall of Chocolate--my most favorite dessert! So last night I was looking up the different parts of the meal and calculating the "Points", when to my horror, I discovered the terrifying amount of calories and fat in this chocolate wonder. Can you take a guess?

Let me tell you:

CALORIES - 2237 (oh gosh!)
FAT - 90 grams (are you kidding me???)

Well, my heart almost stopped thinking that I might not be able to enjoy this traditional indulgence. But something stopped my panic attack--another menu item. They also have a Great Wall of Chocolate MINI Dessert. Hallelujah! My year will not be a complete disappointment!

THREAT NEUTRALIZED!

We'll keep you posted on our weight loss efforts. I plan on being more swimsuit ready than I have ever been!