Some things resolved

From my last post: I ended up going with the bagel and cream cheese for elevensies, and had a late lunch at home. I also can see Ben is getting one or two teeth up top (he squeals when I look), and two fantastic moms with mini-vans helped take all the girls to KSL. I think they liked it! But we stayed up past Ben's bedtime.

Still unresolved: squeaky-sound when I brake sometimes. I'll call on that tomorrow. Also, Max just plain refuses to go #2 on the potty. He held it for two days because I kept putting him on the potty when he got the #2 face. Sorry to share, those of you who have not experienced this joy yet. Others who have experienced it, think of us!

Today is gorgeous by the way. Slight breeze, azure sky, temps in the 80s. Our lawn is lush and green from the fertilizer it gobbled up.

Also worth noting: If you go to sleep with the radio on, you may have weird dreams. I was listening to the DNC speeches last night on the radio as I drifted off to sleep. Barack Obama flitted in and out; I think he was a bartender at one point. Then Michael Phelps came by -- and I kid you not -- he said he wanted to marry my sister because he liked her hair. Who knows what dreams may come next week if I fall asleep listening to the Republican National Convention!

On my mind

1) What to eat for my second breakfast. The yogurt I packed, or a bagel & cream cheese from the cafe?

2)How to help my 3-year-old poop on the potty

3)Summer temps roaring back after a teasing taste of fall

4)My squeaky sounding brakes (They were just fixed. What's the deal? What do I do?)

5)How to keep my 3-year-old from freaking out about #2

6)What's making almost 9-month-old Benny wake up two times a night again (Earache? Teething? Hunger? Light sleeper?)

7)What to eat for lunch. This all depends on my story assignment today. Will I be sent out in the field without my refridgerated lunch or will I make it home in time to eat something there?

8)How to transport potentially 11 Young Women, my two car-seated boys and me to our church activity tomorrow night. We are touring KSL, but the other leaders are either out of town, or at the Scouts' Court of Honor up the canyon to watch their boys get merit badges (JB's partly in charge of it so he can't take our boys). Do I rent a bus? Beg a mom w/ a minivan to come along?

So long, Olympians

It's a bittersweet feeling for me that this is the last weekend of the Olympics. Bitter because I'll miss talking about the events with everybody. Sweet because they are taking a bite out of my sleeping time at night. I watched pole vaulting, high jump, rythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming way too this weekend, mostly online. Did anybody else see the Japan swimmer faint in the water?

I'll also miss the volleyball events, and the feeling that I "could have been a contender!" I played in middle school but that was it. Could I have been the next Logan Tom? Maybe not; I am 5'7" and those girls are tall ("Amazons. How did you all find each other?" - Dwight, The Office).

By the way, why have I not been able to touch my nose to my shin by now? This would have helped me in so many events. Diving, gymnastics, synchronized swimming, long jump, etc. These Olympics have left me with a desire to take better care of myself -- either by running, swimming or at least stretching more.

Foodstuffs

I made these cookies for church later today, because I am teaching the Young Women's lesson. I want to showcase 1 Samuel 16:7, about how the Lord looketh on the heart. So I made heart-shaped cookies, but decorated them all differently to show how we are all different but all loved. Well, I think I got carried away. I count at least 10 different types of toppings, including Neutella, strawberry jam and caramel combinations. We'll see what the girls think!

Our tomatoes are flourishing. Max loves to go check on them with us.

The cherry tomatoes are going crazy. I'm warming up to cherry tomatoes now. I've always thought they were like raisens -- too much of a surprise when you pop them in your mouth.

Yes!

I feel fantastic. I had a long nap yesterday and today, because my three-year-old boy napped both days out of the blue.
Let's take a closer look at that sleepy face:

He was having quiet time on his bed and fell asleep. I think it shocked him that he fell asleep and he woke up grumpy after a half-hour, so I took him out to the couch so as to not wake up sleeping Ben, and Max fell back asleep on the couch. I feel compelled to share all of this with you because a) I have pictures and b)I got a nap b/c of this and feel, again, fantastic. That was yesterday. Today he took a short nap too after moving his books, bookshelf, toys, rocking chair and bed around the room. It tuckered him out!

We went to a BBQ festival downtown today but were disappointed. I know this state isn't known for its barbque but we thought the best of the best would be there. We sampled a few of the vendors but our favorite place, Pat's, wasn't represented there. Frankly I think JB's smoked ribs and pork are better than what we ate today. Mmmm, maybe it's time to make those again, hint hint.

Missouri on my mind

I grew up all over the world but I claim Missouri as home, because my family ended up moving there when I was a tween. They tried Utah and Colorado recently, but in the last month moved back to Missouri. Here's their new house in Northwest MO:
There are cornfields on all sides. Here's my youngest sister Sarah in the backyard.

It looks so green and lush out there! I can't wait to visit. But I'm not going in August, oh no. I remember all too well how humid Missouri is.

The Fall

All of a sudden I want to buy a new Y sweatshirt, some pencils, and overly-priced textbooks. I graduated years ago but every time the weather changes from hot to less-hot I feel like I'm a college student again.

Driving to work in the morning the temperature is cooler. It's been cooler during the day too. As I drove to Provo for my brother's recent graduation and saw the Y on the mountain, I got butterflies in my stomach, and felt like I should get ready for the first day of class. There's something about the fall. I may like it better than spring. It's a time of new beginnings and football and pumpkin pie and seeing friends again after the summer vacation.

I imagine as I get older these college-aged feelings will fade even more than they are fading now. I hear from parents that you get different feelings as fall approaches, because your kids will be going back to school (unless they are on the increasingly popular year-round schedule). By the way I'm sure I'll cry when my boys head off with their little backpacks. Thankfully that's still a few years away.

The weekend

It was a busy weekend, mainly supprting my family, my church and my country's athletes in the Olympics. Technically I was supprting NBC but I'd like to think our swimmers and tiny tumblers knew I was cheering them on from my couch.

On Friday my brother Michael graduated from BYU in Computer Science. His wife Bethany walked again with him, and they looked so great in their caps and gowns. We held Nathanael while their quite short ceremony took place in the Wilk. I had snacks for the babies and me and the whole row if needed in my new large purse. As I type they are driving to Seattle, where he has a new job with amazon.com. So proud!

On Friday night we had a church ward party at a nearby park. They bought too much Albertson's chicken for everyone. I went home with a whole plateful and am still licking my fingers. Will I ever get over my love of chicken? I hope not. We also had a bigger party Saturday night with different groups putting on plays they wrote in a day. It took me back to the days of church roadshows when I was younger.

On Saturday I watched the Olympics. Pretty much all day. Badmitton is awesome because of two words -- jump smash. It's quite the move. But has anyone else noticed that after watching the games, you start to think in the back of your mind, "Maybe I could do something like that!" I'm not talking about the huge tricks and spins and twists and turns the gymnasts do, just the smaller stuff like pulling yourself up on a bar and doing a handstand. I tried it at the park and couldn't quite get my feet off the ground. My arms hurt today. I also thought about jumping into a pool to try the butterfly but I think I'll leave that to the trained athletes. Same with running.

We may be watching too much. Max looked up at the beach volleyball players and announced that they were not wearing shirts. That's right, son -- let's go play with your blocks in the other room!

Bedtime adventures

I heard Ben squealing in a new way today -- like "Help me!" I went in and found him standing in his crib, apparently not knowing how to get back down. I've now rescued him three times, twice at naptime and once at bedtime. At 8 months old he wants to be like his older brother.

Other times I'll hear giggling in the boys' bedroom. I go in and find Max in the crib with Ben. This marks the fourth time he did this.

Hopefully this means they'll be best friends. But judging on how many times I hear Max yell "No Benny!" everyday I doubt they'll always get along.

Max's Nap: In Memorium

2003-2008

Naptime, such a good time.
Time for Max to rest
but more importantly,
for mom to sleep.
To sleep, perchance to dream
ah there's the rub.
No more dreaming, no more sleeping!
Max is done.
But, Ben has only begun...

(Written off the top of my sleepy head on this the third week in a row Max has not napped in the afternoon of 2008. )

Happy Birthday JB!

JB's birthday was Sunday. I made him a carrot cake from scratch with Max's help -- he was sad when it was time to pour the batter into the pans because he was still stirring. "Sad" is a bad word -- he threw a fit. But the cake and Max ended up OK.
Max also ended up being so excited about JB's birthday that he told a few people about it at church, and when we were at JB's parents for dinner he greeted everyone at the door with, "It's my daddy's birthday!"

One present that was fun to make and give was the boys' footprints on a tile. I went to Color Me Mine with them. I have very few painting/artistic skills but I knew I wanted to have the boys make their daddy something. I ended up having the studio tech help me paint their feet and we pressed it down onto the tile. It took a few tries with Ben because he kept wiggling. The paint got all over my pants. It's a fat footprint. I love baby fat feet. Max's footprint looks huge. He's three but it looks like an 8-year-old stepped on that tile. I thought it would have been funny if I would have done it too, but a bigger tile would have cost more. I'm a size nine, 9 1/2 in most shoes but 10 in a running shoe. Wouldn't that be funny though, with "Mary, August 2008" written underneath?

But enough about me. Happy birthday lover! I also can't believe it was five years ago this weekend we got engaged. Best thing I ever did was say yes.

Climbers

The boys love their daddy! When JB came back from St George last week they piled onto him.

Ben is really trying to keep up with Max. I think he's climbing and pulling himself up before Max did. Ben turned 8 months old this week, and to celebrate, he pulled himself on top of Max's birthday suitcase.He's so proud of himself! By the way Max promptly also climbed onto it too to show he was also very skilled.

Max walked at 15 months. I worry Ben may walk sooner. Once they walk, they run, and there's no stopping them.

Congrats Joe!

My little brother Joe graduated last night from the Utah College of Massage Therapy. I took Ben with me but because of the later hour (and because of his new no nap policy) I had Max stay home with JB to go to bed early. Here's my brother James trying to get Ben to smile at him from my brother Michael's shoulders.

He turned and gave him a big grin.

Joe stands out among his fellow graduates in height and accomplishments (he got some extra awards, aw shucks).
Here are Michael, his wife Bethany, Joe, Ben, me and James posing with a whole bunch of the door. Hey, at least the stranger was nice to take the picture for us.
Bethany tickles Ben to get him to smile. Joe likes to do funny faces for the camera.

They all went to eat sushi afterward but I had to go to bed. Funny boys!

Naptime conversations

What's with Max turning three and stopping naps? Up until last week, most days he would sleep up to two hours in the afternoons. I have Ben's schedule set so he sleeps at that same time too, and therefore so do I. Heaven. But, maybe it's the cold Max has, maybe the fact that he's now three, but the most he's slept in the afternoon is 20 minutes. I've ended up taking him into bed with me once or twice so he won't wake up Ben. Overheard:

"Mommy, can I play with the radio?"

Me, mumbling with my eyes closed, "No, it's nap time now. Lay down."

Max, whispering: "I need a bandaid."

Me: "Still nap time. Close your eyes."

Max: "a b c D EE FFFF GGGGG!"

Me: "Be qui....zzzzzzzz"

My favorite moment though, is when he wiggled closer and said "Mommy, that's Jesus in that picture on the wall." I couldn't really shush him for that, now could I?

I think I'll still put him down at the same time every afternoon, but if he doesn't sleep it will have to be called quiet time from now on. Same rules of staying in bed apply. I need it!

Potty-training casualty count

The count from today's adventures in potty-training:

1 pair of jammies
4 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of shorts
3 shirts
2 sheets
1 couch cushion
1 car seat
1 kitchen floor

I'm still waiting for the "priceless." The weird thing is, he did use the potty four times today by himself. The non-potty times were for pooping (twice ) and not even trying to make it to the toilet in time for peeing (twice).

Colds

See Ben's scraped nose? He's such a trooper though. At dinner Max was making him laugh like crazy. For fun we went to Shivers, where kids can eat their meal on a train. Max didn't want to eat, just play. When I said it was time to go, he said, "Can you leave me here?"

Doesn't Ben look so content? He's growing out of his seat but it's so convenient. I just love chubby thighs.

Anyway we all have itchy runny noses now. Why do colds come in the summer?