Captured Miracles

Yesterday was the annual primary program at church. I was bound and determined to arrive on time and, to my surprise, we did. David had to stay home because he was not feeling the best, so it was just the girls and me. I was actually pretty impressed that I got us there on time. I have a little thing called a "time issue." This means that I am perpetually late. I think the "on time" gene must have skipped a generation. My parents were always on time, and when I mean on time, I mean a half hour early. My mother would rather be an hour early than one minute late. I am not like that. I don't have the patience to sit and wait with my girls. Short story long, anyway-- we were on time until, in the middle of the meeting, they start to call the children up. It is then that Boo turns to me and tells me she has to go potty. Really? Do you really have to go now and not twenty minutes ago? Of course, this is my life. Murphy's Law rules my roost. So, we run to the bathroom, everyone and every thing in tow, and when we get back all of the kids are up there and they are starting to sing. I have to set the baby down and basically push Boo to the front. Then, when Bo realizes that her sister isn't sitting with us any more, she starts to cry that she wants to go up too. Boo finally got to the front and Bo and I sat back down with the baby. Bo was not happy. A dear sister from the ward came and took iLyn (I think she could see that I was frazzled) and this did not go over well. Bo was so upset that both of her sisters were gone that she started to cry. I didn't realized the bond was so thick, considering my girls have never really been apart. I don't know what I am going to do when Boo goes to school. It shall be interesting.

The program went well and Boo was so cute when she said her part. I never realized her voice could reach those kind of octaves. Wow! Bo was so happy when she saw that her big sister was alive and well. After the program, she ran up to her and kept hugging her. Boo was slightly annoyed, but she secretly loved it. My friend, Stephanie, came up afterward and asked me if I had seen our girls. I was in the way back, so I didn't see much. Apparently her daughter and my daughter fist bumped when Boo came up to talk. Hilarious! It's moments like those when I know our children are picking up on the right stuff! Love it!

Last week I started talking to a gal at church in the mother's lounge (I think some of my best conversations happen in there) and she told me about her photography. She is a professional photographer and she is incredibly talented. She has taken pictures of Christ in modern day scenes helping children and adults. When I saw the pictures, I was brought to tears. I have always loved photography. It never ceases to amaze me how so many memories, emotions, and how time itself can stop to be captured in a photograph. Of course, I dropped photography in college when I failed the first test because I confused the F Stops, but I still love it! Anyway, she has taken some magical pictures and made them available for purchase. And, to make this even sweeter, she is donating the money to charity. This is one of the occasions when the phrase, Latter-Day Saint truly applies. So if you have a chance, please check out her photos and bring some of their joy into your home. My name is Megan and I approve of this message.

Captured Miracles

P.S. Click on the picture of Christ holding the baby on the right to see the pictures. They are the first group on the right under the picture of her and her family.

Happy Birthday My Love!

I just want to take this opportunity to tell my husband how much I love him. David, I am so grateful the Lord gave you to me and allows me to be with you each day. You bring joy and laughter to my life and I cannot imagine my world without you. I am grateful we get to spend this day with you and celebrate your life (and the fact that you are still younger than me). I love you to the depths and beyond. The girls love you beyond measure and cannot wait to see the best daddy in the world every day. We love you and may we be so blessed with many, many more birthdays to come!

Potty Confusion

I feel as though little Bo has successfully been daytime potty trained. This doesn't mean she won't have the occasional accident, but she is doing great. I am so proud of her. It's funny because people here are amazed that I was even trying to train her, where as in Alaska we were way behind the times. Different places, different mentalities. (P.S. the Alaska one is cheaper).

This being said, Bo came in this morning and told me she "pooed" in her undies. I was pretty upset because she has been doing so well and I was frustrated because I had been feeding the baby. I told her to go to the bathroom, and after I got the baby settled, I followed behind her. From the back she didn't look like she had an accident, but you never know. We got into the bathroom and pulled down her pants to find... a wedgie. Poor girl doesn't know the difference. I was quite happy with that surprise (the other ones are not so pleasant).

Surprise, Surprise

For our anniversary (seven years, yes I know... time flies) David surprised me with a trip to Utah for Labor Day weekend. We (I mean, I begged and pleaded) decided to rent a minivan to make the trip a little more comfortable. It took us around 10-11 hours to get there and David, being the chivalrous man that he is, was my hero and drove both ways. It was fun spending time with Grandma and a few friends and family. It was a short trip and if we missed you I apologize. We will go back again when there is a little more time. We went to the movies, visited family, looked at old slides, shopped,and spent time with Bama. It was short, but sweet (especially when it dropped to 55 degrees on the way back. That was fabulous!).

The view from the back. I felt like David and I were in different hemispheres.

Boo

Bo

iLyn

iLyn dancing. She wanted me to hold her and therefore was almost throwing herself down as if in a mosh pit (do they even do that anymore?). It was pretty funny.

Getting some love from the Bama.

"She's tute," Bo said.

Getting their play on.

My mom made those dolls years ago and I used to play with them when I was a little girl.

Love that smile!

"Bama, I would like to discuss your views on our countries environmental policies..."

Can you get too many kisses?

The girls ran around with the cousins after Wall-E. I thought the movie was pretty adorable.

She can't believe it.

The girls were sitting around for some reason while we talked. Hmm...

Bo being silly (or so Boo says).

Boo and Mickey

Singing and dancing. This girl is no respecter of audiences.

I don't think I have taken one picture of Boo with Mickey where she has looked at the camera. What a ham.

Being punished for our crimes (aka Daddy practicing his jobby job). He fingerprinted us as
though we had committed a major crime. It was kind of frightening...

... and interesting...

... and messy!

Caught in the act-- perfectly

Evidence of our presence.

Not happy to be a witness.

Washing of the hands and face.

Apparently good enough to eat!

Bama's a smooth criminal!

Sweet Angel Baby

Here are a few, or a ton depending on how you look at it, pictures of iLyn. I had to take her to the doctor last week to have her thyroid checked out by an endocrinologist. The appointment seemed to go well. He thinks that since she is in such a low dose of medicine that she has a chance of not having to take it the rest of her life. Anyway, we had to go to the lab to get her blood checked. They used to be able to take it out of her foot, but now that she is older than six months, they have to take it out of her arm. I wasn't very happy when the lab tech told me this, but what am I going to do? Nada (we have been learning some Spanish down here... impressed? You better be!). Anyway, I had to lay my poor little baby down to have them put the rubber strap around her arm when she was all smiles. The one lady prepared the needle and the other lady held down her one arm while I held down the other. I feel like I am betraying my children when I allow them to get poked and prodded. Anyway, the lady stuck this HUGE needle in her arm and iLyn... didn't make a peep. It was like she didn't even notice that this woman had stuck a needle the width of her arm, into her arm. They were both impressed, as was I, that she didn't cry. What a sweetheart! I know she has been poked a lot in her young life, but I never expected that (nor do I expect it again). Maybe she inherited my tolerance of needles. I used to go in to get shots, or blood drawn, all by myself when I was a kid and didn't want my parents coming in with me. I was Tonka Tough and maybe our baby is too. One can only hope!

10 Things I Have Learned This Week

1. Meatloaf, when not made with love or conviction, is no meatloaf at all. I quote David, "What is that?" (I personally am not a meatloaf lover-- except for Nona's meatloaf. That is in a category all it's own). I have found that food tastes better when it is made with love. I don't love the meatloaf and it DEFINITELY does not love me!

2. When a rented mini van's tires are filled in 100 plus degree weather and then driven to a place that is 55 degrees, the tire pressure will drop. No need to panic and fill them up because they will just return to the size of a semi tire and frighten you into thinking they will blow up. Not that we have personal experience with that or anything.

3. Life seems easier when you drive long distances when your children are asleep. Of course this makes for a long next day.

4. It is truly possible to fall in love with fictional characters and morn the loss of reading about their lives. Does this really have to happen to me two years in a row? Couldn't you two have planned this better, Rowling and Meyer????

5. Our eldest daughter has learned, and appropriately used the phrase, "You don't love me!" The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it Mom?

6. Constantly ask your two and a half year old if she needs to go potty when potty training. This can avoid embarrassing situations like her peeing in the middle of a department store. Also something I wouldn't have personal experience with... ;)

7. I have a new found love and respect for Governor Palin, as of Friday (all of you Alaskans know what I mean) and it has nothing to do with her VP nominee status (although I was impressed with her speech-- especially the hockey mom joke). I don't want to talk politics. Some of you may know where I stand, but I usually leave my rants for David and my mom (poor dear).

8. Trying to find a house, when there are tens of thousands available, is exhausting.

9. The Dark Knight, while more than slightly disturbing, was fantastic. Heath Ledger deserves to win the Oscar because of talent, not because of pity.

10. Candy bars don't taste the same after they have been melted and refrozen. Also disturbing.