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.