the final count: 61. I think.

So here it is. Unless I'm forgetting a book or two, here's the final list. I've added thoughts on the ones I didn't review and a book count for series (otherwise I'd never have made my goal). Now, just don't look at Janssen's or Kayla's total count, and I did quite well.

• The Disreputable History of Franke Landau-Banks (5 stars)
• The Hunger Games (5 stars)
• Sunshine (5 stars)
• Artemis Fowl series (4 stars): Fresh, fast-paced, and enjoyable (3 read so far).
  
• The Blue Sword (4 stars): An old favorite I still love.
  
• Book of a thousand Days (4 stars): Took a while to get started, but ended strong.
  
• Boys Adrift (4 stars): Very interesting points to consider.
  
• City of Bones (4 stars): At first the writing bugged me a little, but then I got sucked in. I'm overjoyed that the second in the series is waiting for me at the library, which is proof enough that I liked the book.
  
• City of Refuge (4 stars)
  
• Enchanted Forest Chronicles (4 stars): The first blew me away, and while the others were enjoyable, the newness of the idea had worn off and they dragged a little for me (4 read).
  
• The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (4 stars): Charming.
  
• Fire (4 stars): This one was amazing and first and a little disjointed in the 3rd quarter for me, but ended well. The writing was stunning, I found Fire herself extremely compelling. Perhaps reading Graceling would clear some things up for me.
  
• The Gathering Storm (4 stars): Brandon Sanderson did a great job. The only reason this is not 5 stars is that I can't really recommend this without the previous 11 books and not everyone I love are fantasy nerds like myself.
  
• The Grand Tour (4 stars): Not as good as the first, but close.
  
• Harry, Revised (4 stars)
• Just Listen (4 stars): My favorite Sarah Dessen novel so far.
• Along for the Ride (4 stars): She's so good.
  
• Lock and Key (4 stars): Oh, but they are all so good.
  
• The Mislaid Magician (4 stars): Cute story, annoying writing and way too much detail of the wrong sort (2 read).
  
• Raising Cain (4 stars): Again, this book also gave me a lot to consider about raising a boy.
  
• Skulduggery Pleasant (4 stars): 2 read
  
• Song of Ice and Fire (4 stars): Compelling series with characters so real it's frightening. Cercei gives me nightmares. I would definitely not recommend this series to some and overwhelmingly so to others, depending on who asked (4 read).
  
• Stargirl (4 stars): I accidentally tried reading Love, Stargirl first. This one was much better.
  
• The Truth About Forever (4 stars): My first experience with Sarah Dessen. I can't say enough about how well she writes the kind of novel she writes.
  
• Unplugged Play (4 stars): This book had some great ideas of things to do with everyday items and some sections that made me grateful I didn't pay for the book (lyrics to Old MacDonald had a farm, for one).
  
• The Belgariad (3 stars): Great story but a few major weak spots in the writing (3 books, really).
  
• Chalice (3 stars): Robin McKinley's best work, to me, was earlier. This was a major disappointment. Her work always borders on confusing because she does not describe every detail of how things work (which I like) whereas this novel did not give enough detail, ended in a hurry, and asked me to believe two people were in love based on no prior indication. It warranted 3 stars, however, because I loved the world I glimpsed and the main character who tried to find her place in it.
  
• Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series (3 stars): Great one at a time. 2 or 3 at a time I found myself wanting her to show even a morsel of concern for another human being. That being said, red bottom-osity has made it into everyday language around here (10 read).
  
• The Door in the Hedge (3 stars): Fine enough, for short stories.
  
• Ella Minnow Pea (3 stars)
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (3 stars)
• Home (3 stars)
• My Revolutions (3 stars)
• Parenting, Inc. (3 stars): The book was too theoretical. While interesting, I would have appreciated a section called "what to do about it". I can only read so long about what is wrong without wanting a solution.
  
• Shadow Country (3 stars)
• That Summer (3 stars): My least favorite of Sarah Dessen's novels. I think I kept expecting some romance!
  
• Three Cups of Tea (3 stars): Inspiring.
  
• Wicked (3 stars): Quirky, but enjoyable. I may be the last person on the planet who hasn't seen the musical, but I'd like to now.
  
• Wings (3 stars): Not what I wanted it to be. Still, I'm sure I'll check out the sequel(s).
  
• Deerskin (2 stars): Disturbing. I think I might need to retract some statements I've made about Robin McKinley and just focus on how much I love a few of her books. This one creeped me out, and not just because of the subject matter. It was far too ethereal to grab a hold of.
  
• Netherland (2 stars)
• Nobody's Princess (2 stars): Ugh. I couldn't finish it. I just can't handle "ancient" fiction where the 10 year-old main characters talk like 20-th century adults.
  
• A Partisan's Daughter (1 star)

I feel a bit like I'm running out of books, though, so I need help for next year. Suggestions, anyone?

a rant

I was up late last night (hehe) and driving home I remembered something I hate. 102.5 has a show after midnight called "After Midnight." The first time I heard it I was doing homework for Pleggenkuhle's history class and I remember feeling like they were just rubbing it in. "No duh, I know I'm up late." Well, I was visiting friends last night, not doing homework, but once again I felt like they were rubbing in the fact that I was missing sleep. Reading too much into it? Most likely.

AND THEN, I just waited for almost 15 minutes of slow computer while blogger was loading my Christmas pictures only to receive this error: Bad Request. Well, I thought it was a fair request. I think I'll go take a nap.

baby names and a Christmas miracle

Arizona's most popular baby names, 2009:

Girls:
1. Isabella
2. Sophia
3. Mia
4. Emma
5. Emily

Boys:
1. Jacob (I really thought it'd be on it's way out by now, but I do love Jacob)
2. Alexander
3. Angel
4. Daniel
5. Anthony

In case you're looking for names to avoid (or choose?). Christmas pictures coming soon. Oh! And Josh's phone mysteriously started working again. Yay!

goodbye to everything I love

A few nights ago, Jonah was resisting sleep. Suddenly, his cries turned to words and we heard him sobbing out goodbyes to everything he loves:

"bye bye (sob) ju-u-uice (boo hoo hoo)"
"bye bye (sob) tru-uck (waaa!)"
"bye bye (sob) ca-at (boo hoo hoo)"

You get the idea. It was so sad and so hilarious at the same time. We have been waiting for a replay but have had nothing so creative. He did yell (and I mean YELL) for a few minutes when we put him down for a nap today: "MAMA DADA MAMA DADA MAMA DADA MAMA DADA MAMA DADA".

Still, once he's asleep we can't help but sneak in and peek. A few times, we've found him wide awake, sitting silently in the dark. I wonder what he does all night?

errr

...and then I washed Josh's cell phone. Merry Christmas!

I love you, Puffs

I try to buy the cheap stuff. I really do.

However, after a full day of blowing my nose with toilet paper (the cheap kind, no less) my nose was raw and red. Mind you, I had looked for tissues at Wal-Mart but after not finding them in the Pharmacy or with the paper towels/toilet paper, I gave up.

Then, tonight, when I went to pick up some pictures at Walgreens, I bought some tissues. I stood in the aisle, I kid you not, for 10 minutes debating whether it was worth an extra $1 per box to buy the ones I wanted. It was.

Puffs tissues with Vicks are the world's best tissues. My nose is singing (and tingling slightly) with joy.

hats off

A little belated, but here are some graduation pictures. Thank you to everyone who made the day (and past few years) a success.

sytycd

Jessie, you said that So You Think You Can Dance is your guilty pleasure. I love the show so much. I have been falling behind, though, this last (busy) month. So when Josh took Jonah fishing and left me alone to sip hot chocolate and lay around all morning, I knew I needed to watch the season results.

Every season or two, there is a dance that takes my breath away. A few years ago it was the door dance, which Q and I finally found online. This morning, I saw another one:



What beautiful dancers they are. I think I'll watch it a few more times before sneaking a nap in before the boys come home.

A few other SYTYCD thoughts:
-I long for the day when I can fast forward through Mary Murphy. Adam talks too much, too, but at least he doesn't scream all the time.
-I would love to see someone I know on the show (cough, cough).
-I used to say that Jonah could be a professional dancer if he was a hip hop dancer like Russell, but you know, he can even do contemporary if he can learn to leap like Jakob.
-Ryan creeps me out, so I'm glad he came in last.

traveling with kids and guilty pleasures

Every so often I read a blog post that makes me think, "I should really bookmark this for later. This is great!" Usually I forget all about it, or remember but not where it came from and spend 2 hours searching blogs (I did that recently looking for cloth diaper information for a friend). Well, here is a cool article about taking a big vacation with kids. It all makes perfect sense, but I can't promise I would have thought of it all myself. So, when we're ready to go to Spain, maybe we'll take Jonah after all.

P.S. Josh just came to join me and changed the channel to watch Tabitha's Salon Makeover. When I giggled he said, "guilty pleasure". Enough said, I guess. What's yours (tv or otherwise)? I have a weakness for America's Next Top Model, but that's no secret.

cookie poll

I have seen all three of the following (chopped super fine) in Mexican wedding cookies. Which is right (or most delicious)?

A. Pecan
B. Walnut
C. Almond

more reviewing gripes

Remember how I hate when people review recipes (and rate them with 5 stars) even though they have never made it? "This looks great--5 stars!" Thanks, but that helps not at all.

Well, I was looking for a sugar cookie frosting (more like a glaze than the buttercream I usually make) recipe and came across this review (4 of 5 stars): This tasted terrible. I will not make it again.

Um, why the 4 stars I wonder?

who is this child?

There is something wrong with my son. That is to say, I'm not sure he is my son. Sure, he looks like Quintin when he gets excited (or mad) and has a bigger head than Josh's already, but I've had some doubts for a while. For one thing, he likes green beans. Gross. He sealed the deal for me today, and I'm thinking about going back to Banner Desert and demanding my real baby.

Jonah doesn't like hot chocolate.

It was a pretty cold morning this morning (by AZ standards) and I was having hot chocolate and toast for breakfast and thought, why not let Jonah try it, too? Being something of a hot chocolate expert, I carefully mixed his up to the perfect chocolatey-ness and not too warm (but warm enough to taste right). He took one sip and started asking for juice. Where did this child come from? There is nothing better than hot chocolate on a cold morning like today. He won't even drink it now that it's cold. I thought all children liked chocolate milk?

In other news, here he is with his tricycle (or "ding!" as he calls it) and carrying a beloved stick on a hunting trip with Josh. The picture at the top is of him clapping along to "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" which Josh sings at triple pace. I was concerned the first time Jonah walked up to me, hit himself in the chest (pretty forcefully) and said something that sounded like "me!" Josh informed me that it was "beam" and that was his way of requesting the song. It would be cute if I didn't have to give him back today. I don't want to get attached.

P.S. Mom, see the shirt? After a wash it fits perfectly!

nap time

Most days when Jonah naps, I nap. Sometimes when he naps and I'm far behind, I clean. Today, my house is clean-ish and I'm well rested, so I'm laying on the couch watching tv and blog surfing on the laptop at the same time. Life really does not get much better than this.

boo hoo

I just opened our cell phone bill and it is over twice what it should be. I cried.

Tomorrow, Josh will call and debate the rate (we were definitely over on minutes, but how much we were charged per minute seems off) and either way, we'll pay whatever it comes out to be. $70 is not going to make or break life either way.

Still, I think I might need some brownies. Or, I'll just look at this (since Josh says it's been too long without pictures):

love (or not) letters

Dear Bertolli olive oil,
While I appreciate the feel of a nice glass bottle (and even thought so today when I picked you up), it may be time to jump on the bandwagon and convert to plastic bottles. My dark Karo for pecan pie was even in a plastic bottle.

Dear self,
The new #1 unloading priority has changed from cold items to breakable items until further notice, effective immediately.

Dear Jonah,
Please, no more throwing olive oil bottles. Next time, let it be something mild like walnuts or raisins.

hot chocolate

I used to make big pots of homemade hot chocolate in high school (the recipe is on the Hershey's baking chocolate box). It is so delicious! ...and then I married a man who doesn't drink hot chocolate more than once a winter and it starting feeling a bit ridiculous.

The solution? I now have the single serving recipe memorized. 1T. sugar + 1T. chocolate + 1c. milk = heaven in a cup. The only thing that would make it better would be a milk steamer in my kitchen (you know, the kind in the coffee shop that makes it all foamy).

oh for some time alone

Emily often links Baby Blues comics that seem to be inspired by her life, which then prompts me to spend hours reading the online archive and chuckling. Here's my favorite (for today):

Not only is this so very accurate, but yesterday Josh took Jonah to class with him so I could have some time alone. I danced around jamming out and cleaning the kitchen and then I started to miss them, so I sat down and looked at pictures of my boys on the computer.

my life is complete

H&M is now open in Scottsdale.

I wonder if Jonah wants to go shopping tomorrow...

calling all pumpkin eaters

Ros and I need some help. We're both looking for something to do with half a can of pumpkin that isn't a bread, pie, cookie, muffin...you get the idea. Something without a lot of sugar and oil in it. I have seen some tasty curries with pumpkin, but that's pumpkin chunks. I need a way to use my pumpkin puree left over from pumpkin bread (which has so much oil and sugar we might as well call it pumpkin cake). Any help out there?

P.S. I'm doing the turkey this year. I've had wild success with Alton Brown's turkey, but due to the number of people, I was thinking of doing 2 smaller birds instead of a 30lb monster. Should I do something different for the second one? What sounds good? Barbecue?

sesame street, part deux

Poor Rosalyn gets a daily commentary on Sesame Street. Well, let me tell you, they have me quite put out. In fact, we may stop watching it. I have already expressed my distaste at the disproportionate amount of screen time Elmo gets. Well, not only that, but for the last 3 days there has been 15 minutes of Abby's Flying Fairy School which is a) dumb, b) animated and c) not connected to Sesame Street at all (other than Abby is a new character). I want more time on the street! Or at the very least, more of those cute videos where the people all in yellow spell out letters and numbers. Boo. Which one of us is this show catering too, anyway?

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Rating: 5 stars

It took me months to get this book from the library because there are so many pending requests. I've had it for two weeks and it's due tonight. For some reason, despite all the good things I've heard about it, I just never wanted to read it. I mean, I did in general, but when evening came and I considered what to pick up, I was just too tired from the day to read another version of "The Lottery". I read that in school and although the implications were profound, there is a reason I read mostly YA literature. I like happy endings. I appreciate a difficult situation when I read it, but most of the books I read for the Tournament of Books last year were depressing and dark for no good reason. I like books that celebrate human nature or at the very least have some magic powers or a little romance. I did not matter that every review I read of The Hunger Games said, after the plot description, that it was not as heavy as it sounded and was a fabulous read.

Well, last night, I decided I should just read the first chapter so I would know if I should take it back in the morning or try to finish by the library's closing time. I read half of it last night until I absolutely had to go to sleep and just finished the rest while Jonah naps. It was every bit as fabulous as I hoped. Instead of talk about what happens and how it's better than it sounds, especially since some people who read this blog have already read it, let me just tell you why it was so great:

1. She shows instead of tells. There are very few wasted words and the author is able to capture the essence of a person in just a few lines. This added depth to even the most minor characters and prevented the story from getting bogged down in details.
2. It takes place in a dark place different from our own, but it is not about that world. Not only does she not dwell unnecessarily on depressing us, but she does not spend too much time describing this future civilization to us, even though I'm sure she has a pretty clear picture of it in her mind. I don't need (nor want) every book to be Tolkien, after all, especially because I kind of despise apocalyptic novels.
3. I laughed out loud and cried, both at unexpected times. For those of you that have read it, District 11's bread is what turned on the faucets for me. I had to keep reassuring Jonah I was fine (since he was eating breakfast while I cried over that).

That about covers it, I think. At it's roots, it's an epic struggle between a single person and a great evil. Up one step, it's about a horrible competition and the surrounding hype. What I enjoyed most, though, were the characters. One of my writing teachers told us that chick flicks are about characters, man movies are about action, and the best (be they romance, action, or something else) do both. I'm very glad I decided to go ahead and read it, even if I'm blurry-eyed tired today.

P.S. The mutts might give me nightmares, though. I don't even want to think about the implications of their...resemblances. Was that cryptic enough for anyone who hasn't read it? I hope so.

family history

I just found out that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a mentor named Benjamin Mays. Between Uncle Willie and Uncle Benny, our name is getting more and more prestigious the more I learn.

(Except we aren't actually related to either...)

gilbert riparian

We went to the Gilbert Riparian again last night to go birding. We've been to this same park I'd say 15-20 times. Well, guess who found a stream we've never seen before? I'll give you a clue. It wasn't me.
By the time I arrived on the scene (I was id'ing a hummingbird, thank you very much), his shoes, socks, and pants were soaked and he would not be removed from the stream. Only these two boys could, in 32.3 seconds, find a mystery stream and jump in.

mmmm, milk

We finished off the milk yesterday afternoon. When his cup was empty, Jonah handed it to me and ran to the kitchen. Once he (with help) got the fridge open, he looked around on the bottom shelf, carefully touching everything, looking for his milk. "It's gone, baby," I said. Then he found the Coscto bottle of Frank's hot sauce, which looks like a half-gallon container of (red) milk. He looked at me, pointed to the bottle, and "said", "mmmm?"

I'm still laughing. Any distress he felt at not being allowed to sample the hot sauce was forgotten this morning when he found the milk fairy had replenished his supply in the night.

Goodreads, 2.0

It's now been a week or so since I reactived my Goodreads profile. So far, I'm loving it much more this time around. Maybe I don't have as much time as I did before, but I think the one-click rating system is very nice and I can scan for new suggestions much faster. Now, if only there were an auto-upload button to my saved library list. While we're dreaming, I wonder if the library will ever institute a home delivery system?

P.S. Even if I apparently miss questions everyone else knows, at least I can still answer the literary devices questions right on the never-ending quiz. It's good to know a degree in Comparative Literature is good for something. Still, is it bad that I knew an answer to a question from watching the Food Network, not from reading the book?

break out the hot chocolate!

Yesterday, we were rushing out the door to get to the art museum, dressed just like usual: short sleeves. I was blown away by frigid wind as soon as I opened the door! In fact, we had the heater on during the drive. It went from the upper 80s on Tuesday to the low 60s yesterday. Brrr. So today, I've been frantically looking through Jonah's clothes for some pants and jackets that will fit. I was a bit concerned because all I came up with was 2 pairs of jeans (until he gets a bit taller, that is) and considering if I needed to go *gasp* buy some more for him.

Then I checked the weather.

It's going to be 80 by Saturday and 90!! by next Tuesday. Good grief.

sesame street

Jonah has just discovered the joys of Sesame Street (i.e. he dances to the songs). In the week or so that it's been on, I've also rediscovered what a great show it is. That being said, today was a rerun! ..and that's saying something considering I've only seen 7 or 8 shows in the last 20 years. And, I don't really like Elmo, who is now 30 minutes of the hour program. Grrr....

On the bright side of life, cold weather makes me want to cook. This was awesome. Josh thinks we should make 3x the glaze next time and use it as a sauce. I'm also looking for a good orange chicken recipe. Anyone?

old pictures > sleep

quiz question

P.S. On the Goodreads never-ending quiz:

Which famous womanizer was a real person?

a. Don Juan
b. Lothario
c. Cassanova
d. Romeo

I chose (a) and got it wrong! Anna-Lisa, didn't we look at Don Juan's casket at el Escorial? Or is having a character loosely based on a real person not good enough?

poor me

How long is it appropriate to sulk because right after you got your baby back to sleep (after he tried to nap for only 20 minutes...come on, boy! dropping to just one nap was bad enough!) and laid your own weary head down the maintenance people come by to make sure you haven't moved your fire extinguisher?

I haven't moved it. Next time, don't knock so loud, talk so loud, and slam the door so loud.

They're lucky I got a robe on before they came barging in. I wonder what would happen if I did answer in my underwear...would they stop coming over? Next time, they should just call and ask if I still have it hanging (ugly and bulky) where they made me move it a few months ago. I do. Stop waking up my boy.

good reads

I'm sitting here scrolling through old book review posts on Janssen's blog and a few random book blogs I've started reading, looking for good Christmas presents for my nephews (15 year-old who isn't an avid reader..preferably a male main character. Help?!) thinking, "I love these reviews, but it sure would be nice if I could sort them other ways and have a recommendations of more friends available in one place." Then I laughed at myself and logged on good reads. I made an account on good reads a long time ago and pretty much ignore it. Now, I think it's time for me to really figure this thing out.

Suggestions, anyone? Janssen and I are already friends, but is anyone else on there with an account I can link up to? What took me so long? (I hope I like it!)

hanging out to dry

Anyone need a cute baby shower idea? This is my sister's brain child:
It's a clothesline! My sister-in-law and nieces decorated the clothespins, and then we strung up cute clothes as Ros unwrapped them.It was a fun way to check out the cute clothes, decorate the space, and give the girls a job.All in all, the day was even better than expected...and that's saying something! Congratulations, Ros, we're so excited for you!

missing

This face is at grandma's tonight. We miss him. I'm going to celebrate by vacuuming all my floors...in the middle of the night! It's strange what we find exciting these days.

Hehe

raised by wolves

Top 10 favorite moments (with pictures!) from our camping trip (3 for each of us and one family best):

Josh's top 3:
3. Rubbing my back. No, I'm not kidding. The first night we slept (miserably) with Jonah between us. Josh was off the padding, I was half on and half off Jonah's pillow (and I hate lumpy bedding) and we were both poked by feet and arms all night. The second night we rearranged and Josh and Jonah slept well. I, however, had a really sore back. Apparently, Josh enjoyed easing my pain as much as I did (but it didn't make my list...oops! Ungrateful, much?).
2. Using his childhood gun for the first time in many years.
1. Jonah waking up in the middle of the night last night and talking in his sleep. It was so hilarious! In fact, we both fought over who could use this as a favorite memory. When we came to bed, Jonah (who was in the tent sleeping already) woke up. He sat up and watched us get ready for bed. Once we laid down he came over and put his head on my chest and fell back asleep. Totally out, he started waving and saying "bye bye". Then it was "dog" and "uh-oh". Maybe he was dreaming about the fun day? Whatever it was, he rolled over and started snoring right after. Hehe. I laugh just typing this out; it was so random.

Kimberly's top 3:
3. Beef stew and biscuits: this was a new dutch oven experiment for me and it went really well. So well, in fact, that I may never make it again for fear of it not meeting my expectations.
2. Taking a nap with Jonah while the men went hunting. I get naps often while he sleeps but for some reason, this was a REALLY GOOD nap.
1. Hot cocoa by the fire. I love hot chocolate and unfortunately, it's too hot for hot cocoa for breakfast in the summers around here. Drinking that hot cocoa reminded me that the season of cocoa and toast for breakfast is on it's way!
Jonah's top 3:
3. a half-deflated balloon we found in the woods (and eating the string?!)2. "Driving" all 3 cars. This picture is in our car from the first day, but over the course of the trip he learned how to climb into Grandpa Mays's truck unaided (which is saying something, since it's huge), turn on Uncle Brandon's hazards, turn on our lights, and put the key in the ignition. The last 3 he especially enjoyed because they cause a variety of clicking and beeping noises (aka dance beats).
1. Oatmeal cream pies. Grandpa kept sneaking him pieces and they're definitely a favorite. He kept sneaking over to the ice chest and pulling out cookies and handing them to anyone he thought would open the package for him.

Family favorite:
Jonah. He had such a great time running through the woods with no fences or streets or walls. He spent all day (minus a very small period of eating and sleeping) chasing after Brandon & Stacey's dog, digging in the dirt, throwing rocks, etc. I'm sure he would move into the woods forever, never to return to the world of baths and plastic toys. Plus, we got to put him in this awesome vest we've been saving for months for the weather to cool down.

decorating

I'm a ways away from owning a home and all the painting that implies, but I love to watch design shows and have always been a compulsive furniture mover (Dad says I inherited that trait...) and I think I realized something today. One of these posts appeals to me and one does not.

My Comfort Zone
Halloween Inspiration

Of course there are many options between all white rooms and table settings, but although I like nice design, I think I might be a 5-shades-of-white sort of gal. After all, I think I own 1 or 2 patterned shirts. The other 10 are solid blue, black, or green (traded all the red in for green a few years ago. Now I think it's time to go back).

There's just no room on my table for a centerpiece between the books, bills, and ziploc bag of powdered sugar (don't ask).

my favorite Disney movie

but not Jonah's.

The other day we were both feeling a little tired and under the weather, so Jonah and I curled up on the couch to watch Sleeping Beauty (his first movie!). He lasted about 5 minutes. I kept thinking "it's about to get exciting any minute now..." but not so much. I didn't realize how much down time there is in that particular movie. He did like the dog Prince Philip rode. What's that? It's a horse? Don't tell Jonah.

So I got to thinking about what he might like more and have decided it's the music. In a few years, I'm sure Nemo and Toy Story will be favorites, but all he likes right now is music, so I thought the Little Mermaid (lots of songs!) and Lion King. Of course I adore Beauty and the Beast but I can't remember if it's as full of songs in the beginning as Lion King (remember the 5-minute attention span).

I guess since he's not supposed to watch tv for another 6 months I really shouldn't mind. But running through the list did make me miss my nephew who loooooooovvvvved Lion King. I never thought I'd want to see it again after the 5-year stretch it was a favorite, but I think I need to dig it out and watch it tonight.

some real pictures!

The weather was too nice outside yesterday morning not to take pictures of Jonah playing in the driveway while we waited for Josh to get his stuff together for our trip to CG. I love fall around here. This is the time of year I get to gloat instead of the last 4 months of envying cooler weathers in say...Ohio, Washington, or Uruguay.
Smashing rocks together.Bringing me his treasures...
...and here they are!

dinglehopper

Ariel has nothing on Jonah. Sure, she had the dinglehopper, but Jonah has so much more. He has the Nintendo remote AND the foot callus file thing. Why these two objects belong in his hair, I'm not really sure.

time out is fun!

(Yes, we were up early again. Bleh.)

Jonah doesn't really disobey much. Well, he doesn't really obey much either since all he does is play and run around. He is getting to the point, however, where he can do simple things that we ask (yay!) and has obvious moments of rebellion (boo!). The first time Josh tried to put Jonah in time-out I laughed at him and Jonah just crawled away. Since then, we've developed a new system that involves holding him there for 5 seconds (which is long enough to get the point across to a 16-month old). It's a work in progress, for sure, but the funniest thing happened the other day.

Jonah bit Josh. That's not the funny thing, but that's what started it. It wasn't a playful bite, either. It was a red-in-the-face-mad-becasuse-you-told-me-no bite on bare flesh. So Josh took Jonah to the designated corner, held him there, and told him why he was in trouble. After it was all over, Jonah crawled back to the corner and started playing there. He now thinks his time-out corner is all kinds of fun.

Considering we use it all of twice a month (so far), I don't really mind.

brrr

I woke up early this morning (not my favorite) and took the trash out (again, not a favorite) to discover it was cold outside. It is probably 70 or something, but my first thought was "ooo, I need a jacket!" So I rushed inside and opened all the windows. If I was feeling really awesome I'd make some bread or something too, to celebrate a cool-ish kitchen. I probably won't, though, since it is still only 6:30 and I don't usually wake up for another hour.

I've been looking at the websites of various Fish & Game agencies around the country and realized that although I am a smart gal, I have a few embarrassing things to admit:
-I can't name all 50 states on the first try (I finally just got a list because I kept missing some of those New Englanders)
-It may have taken me longer than I'd like to admit to spell Connecticut and Massachusetts

Still, at least I know there are 50 stars on the flag, right Q?

raspberries

Just in the last few days, Jonah has started giving raspberries. Well, trying to. So if you come to visit and he pulls up your shirt, slobbers on your belly and then starts to laugh, that's what's going on.

This is not to be confused with biting, which begins with an open mouth as he descends upon your neck, arm, or leg. Biting is not as cute, but it results in just as much spit, it seems. One is definitely more fun than the other.

exploding dinner

So I was reading an article about exploding chicken (or really, and exploding casserole dish) and it reminded me of making dinner earlier today. I went for my square casserole dish and was reminded, once again, that one of my two is gone forever. You see, it blew up in my broiler a few months ago. I have other dishes that are roughly the same size and I have two 9x13 casserole dishes that get even more use than the square one, but I still miss it. This article made me laugh and feel a little better about myself, even if it didn't bring the dish back.

Curious? I was making this Chicken Masala (which is delicious) which I'd made before successfully in the very same dish. The exploding pan slowed down dinner but luckily didn't keep us from eating it. The chicken comes out so moist I could eat it plain for the rest of my life. Now, I just roast it on the tray-like thing in the broiler. Before you mock (since I'm sure it really is a tray intended for that very purpose) consider that this was the first time I braved the under-the-oven broiler of a gas stove. They are very broiler-y and a bit scary. So, if anyone is curious (since I used the broiler in Tempe to store pans since my mom stores pans under her electric oven) it can be done without blowing up the house. Just not without blowing up a pan.

grandparent's day

Yesterday was Grandparent's day. I took a minute to think about my grandparents and what I know about them, what I remember about the grandmas, and what I've inherited. Then I took a long moment to think about Jonah's grandparents and how great they are. All 6! are fabulously supportive and adore their boy.

"More pictures, less text!" Sorry, Josh (and JC):
This is my favorite picture of my mom and Jonah. There are many pictures where they both look more polished, but this was early in the morning one of those days I was so glad to have her help!Again, I just love the earliest pictures with the grandmas cause they were so ga-ga over him.
Then, of course, fishing is always a favorite pastime.
And I have no idea what the men are looking at in this picture, but it certainly isn't the camera! Whatever it was, it must have been intense!

Thanks for being so great. We love you all.

parenting question

Is running with a fork as bad as scissors?

math equations

Running alone with iPod > Running with stroller not made for jogging and tempermental right wheel.

Running alone + evening time + beautiful sunset = time reflecting on running history and friends I learned to love running with.

I love you, K & E!

not my poll question

Today's poll question on a local news site (my homepage) reads:

Should a wife take her husband's name?

-Yes, it's tradition
-No, it doesn't matter anymore

I don't know why it bugged me so much, but I did not choose to take Josh's name because it was merely tradition, nor did I consider not taking it because it "doesn't matter anymore". There are far more important and complex reasons at work and the answer choices irritate me. I'd rather just see it say "yes" and "no" than try to boil it down like that. Too sensitive? Probably.

a few more

A few other things I've "discovered" (in quotes because apparently the soap lid discovery was not so ground breaking):

-Four pieces of paper taped to the ground make a great canvas for a 1-year old. It's not so small nor so wiggly.
-Project Runway. As a rule, I avoid most reality competition shows, but Josh and I watch Top Chef together every week. Now, on Thursdays, I sneak off to watch the cutthroat sewing action. Mmm.
-Breyer's ice cream is $1.88 at Fry's this week. Anyone who thinks their Rocky Road is the best ice cream ever made (me) should take notice.
-Overtired babies do not good sleepers make. In fact, at least in this house, it makes for a sleep strike.
-Texting Q while he hikes up the RB stairs makes me miss it. Almost. (Miss BYU, yes. Miss that particular staircase? Not likely)
-Osh Kosh makes adjustable waist pants that are actually adjustable more than 1/4 inch.

follow up and yard work

So, when I received a text message trying to set up an appointment, I was mostly appalled (no, we are not really friends, so the relationship is not to that point). The more I think about it, though, I use email to make VT appointments all the time, so I guess as long as it's not trying to substitute for the visit itself I'll get un-offended. It is nice for leaving messages, I guess.

Now, unable to believe that it's actually September, I need to go work in my yard if we're going to have a garden at all this fall. I just browsed my Washington pictures for some green inspiration. For anyone else dying in the heat, this is what we can look forward to in just a few months!Well, it's never going to be as green here as in WA, but it will be 80 degrees again someday.

poll question

Scheduling a home teaching visit via text messaging. Efficient method that's easy for all? Or impersonal and lame?

scummy soap

You know that gunk that collects on the tops of dish soap and dishwasher detergent when you dribble a little bit and don't clean it off? And you know how if you let it go long enough it grows and hardens until you can only get one drop at a time? Heaven knows I'm not patient enough to fill up the dishwasher soap cup one drop at a time and my sweet husband did ask last time we opened a new bottle of dish soap if I would clean off the top every time I used it. Well, people, I have the solution:

Take a cup of hot water and soak the lids!

I can't believe it took me so long to figure it out and I can't believe how much happier it makes me every time I do the dishes to have clean lids without the extra 1 second cleaning off the lid after every use. If this is old news, why didn't anyone tell me?!

generics vs. name brand

There are some generics that I buy because I can't taste the difference (or not enough to be worth the cost difference) like FMV crackers ($ .88) vs. Premium ($2.00) and some name brands I stick to because while the generic might be tasty, it isn't good enough. It has to be an OREO or I'd just assume have some other cookie. Then there are brands that I stick to because of what's in them: Daisy sour cream, for example (try comparing the ingredients with the store brand next time you're there...you'll never buy the cheap one again!).

Still, every so often a generic comes my way that I will buy forever. I ate more than my share of Stephanie's Oreos and Frosted Mini Wheats, but the first bowl of cereal just tasted off. It wasn't until I had a bowl of Frosted Mini Spooners this morning that I realized why. Mmmm. It's good to be back. ...After I went to the store to buy some Oreos for myself, that is.

Are there any others I should know about?

news and the best picture ever

Jonah walked tonight. Maybe Erik and Taylor inspired him? Maybe he was so excited to be home? Whatever it was, there was no halting step like happens in the movies. He just walked. A few times he would go too fast and fall over, but rather than fall and cry (isn't there some metaphor in letting your kids fall down while they learn to walk? what does this mean about my future parenting skills if I don't get it?) he'd fall onto his knees and crawl. Strange child. It wasn't two or three steps either, though that's what I was hoping he'd do for Josh. He just up and walked over to Josh.

I didn't take many good pictures in Washington since they are mostly blurry or the backs of people's heads. Still, how about a little devious child?

t.p.

The Fly Lady says "nothing says 'I love you' like a fresh roll of toilet paper." Why? Because it says, "honey, I noticed we were running low and didn't want you to run out".

hope givers

I found this website on a friend's friend's blog (not the farthest jump I've made, believe me):

http://www.givesmehope.com/

and I read about this one on Pioneer Woman:

http://www.fatcyclist.com/

which reminded me of this one:

http://www.cyclequest.blogspot.com/

which reminded me of a time after Jonah was born that I seemed to find really sad but uplifting blogs early in the morning, like this one:

http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/

And while I've been having a fabulous day already, the "wild" (growing on it's own, but from seeds dropped by the not-so-wild one I planted last fall) orange snapdragon in my garden GMH (see the first link if that didn't make sense).

it's in

Put Josh in your prayers, thoughts, well wishes, etc. He just submitted an application with AZ Game & Fish. Sure, there are other opportunities in his field and AZGFD will hire again, but this is the one he really wants at the perfect timing. We won't know for sure until December if he got it, but we'll have the chance of knowing a few times before then if he's been cut from the selection process. So here's to no news is good news?

let's talk about names

Rosalyn and I had an interesting exchange via email this morning about naming twins (sparked by, of course, the lovely ladies we can't wait to arrive and the dream I had that she named them Rune and Solar). Of the sets of twins I know personally (7), three have rhyming names. My initial reaction is "gross, don't do it!" (and I think Ros agrees with me there), but on the other hand, what do you do? Here are the problems as I see them:

-You can't give one twin a name with incredible meaning (say, named after grandmother) and name the other "Jane". But how do you ensure there are relatively equal levels of meaning unless they are both your grandmother's names?
-The names are going to be said, together, approximately seven million times in the first 10 years of life. I guess there is some truth to wanting them to sound nice.
-All the same rules about naming apply, times two. It won't do to name one daughter Misty and another Corey. While a gender-ambiguous name can cause little or lots of stress in any child's life, with twins it's worse. No one wants to be the boy twin!

So now to you twins out there (uh...Katie and Erin) or anyone who knows twins or has opinions about anything, what do you think? I guess I can see why so many parents opt for the cutesy options or rhymes (no, I'm still not advocating it) but what do you do if both grandmas are named Delilah or you already used her name for daughter #1?

cars.gov

Any guesses on what kind of MPG the Taurus gets? We weren't seriously considering trading it in, but we were taking bets on whether on not it qualifies for the Cash for Clunkers program. I was guessing we get around 20 mpg (the program requires 18 or less combined EPA estimated at the time it was new). So can we trade it in on a new Escalade today?

Nope. It's off by one MPG. Ha!

Still, I guess that means our driving habits (or the unusually good condition of the 11 year-old car?) lends us just a little better than average gas mileage. Yippee!

adventures with the BLM

So Josh has been working for the Bureau of Land Management for a total of 6 days (that's including 2 unpaid training days). For anyone curious about what the BLM does here in Arizona, here are a few things Josh has done so far:

1. Assessed water on BLM land: the shape, size, pH balance, volume, use, location, etc. of any and all water present.
2. Dug out tires that had been dumped on BLM property.
3. Walked part of the Mormon Battalion Trail (ok, so that was more because his boss thought it would be neat for him to see--including the 150 year-old cans and square-headed nails [since it's illegal to remove anything from the site some of it is still there]--than because it was part of the work).
4. Read User Guide to Assessing Proper Functioning Condition and the Supporting Science for Lotic Areas. I think lotic areas have streams, rivers, or lakes. At least that's what google says.
5. Mapped invansive plant species (read: weeds) by GPS.

So there you have it. I wonder what he'll be doing today. It always sounds more exciting than it probably is, but he enjoys it. Well, all but #4. That was more boring than it sounds and he did not enjoy it at all.

as promised

P.S. I think it is a freckle. It hasn't gone away yet, at least, and I'm sure I've washed his face at least once since then.

author stalking

I've been reading Robin McKinley's blog and it's giving me a bit of a headache. Movies that play up on the differences in American and British English must stick to the same examples (I know that a nappie is a diaper not a napkin, duh) because I am really confused. I've looked up 6 or 7 words already and just skipped many others. Still, it's weird to imagine an author as a real person. It's not by any means the wittiest (or most interesting) stranger's blog I've read, although I do love that she mentioned Leontes in the middle of a story about her dogs and that I knew why the reference worked.

Someone sent her this link to a ABC spot on choosing the perfect book for kids this summer, in which the expert calls Sunshine the "greatest vampire book ever written". It's a bit dull but my mom and Janssen might be willing to stick it out (no guarantees for anyone else as my attention wandered and I'm in a book mood). The librarian also says she's never met an 11th grader who didn't like it (Sunsine, that is). So, I guess this puts me around 11th grade according to this librarian. That's about 3 years older than I was going to give myself, so I should feel complimented?

Ah, and she mentioned The Diresputable History. Mmmm...

To Robin McKinley's credit (or not) her only response (other than posting the link, which should say something too I guess) was "Still, I guess Stephenie Meyer can laugh her way to the bank." Eh, authorial feuds have never been my thing, so I'll assume it was meant kindly. I had a professor at BYU who all semester detailed his academic disagreements (played out in some obscure but highbrow literary journal) with a Harvard professor. He was delighted at his latest jab (inserted in an otherwise harmless article about Dante) and I remember feeling a bit disgusted. I guess even the greatest people have petty streaks.

P.S. I know there have been no pictures in the last 4 posts or so. I'll do what I can to remedy that situation. "Too many words; not enough pictures" would be Josh's critique.

slightly depressed

There's nothing like finishing a really good book. There's the inital let down when there's still adrenaline (okay, I read faster the closer it is to the end), then there's the weird dreams where you are in the book (again, I hope not just me). Then you tell everyone you know about it, even finding ways to insert it into unrelated conversation (sorry, Quintin and Katie). Then there is the 4-day lull. I don't know if it's always 4 days, but for the last 3 1/2 I've moped around the house wishing there was more to Sunshine. I've stalked Robin McKinley's website looking for more books (only a few) and possible sequels (not likely) and half-heartedly added some books to my queue at the library. About 30 minutes ago I realized the only cure was another good book.

So, I've lost myself in 12 tabs of book blogs and the library website. Especially since Josh will have the car all next week, let's hope the shelves are stalked tomorrow. Is it wrong to wish for summer to be over so I can have the YA section to myself again during school hours?

Sunshine

Title: Sunshine
Author: Robin McKinley
Rating: 5 stars

I haven't read a book I couldn't put down in a while. I mean, by the end of a book I usually don't want to put it down, but this one I wanted to read in one sitting. I don't even know where to begin. I think of Robin McKinley as a YA author but the main character is 26-ish and while it's certainly not inappropriate, I also wouldn't give it to a preteen nephew to read. Disclaimer aside, can I start gushing now?

Sunshine lives in a magical (but believable) world where werewolves are far more rare than werechickens or wererabbits and almost everyone has (but hides) some part-demon blood. It can keep you from getting promoted or landing a sensitive job, for example. Still, the waitress at the coffee shop who always pours perfectly hot coffee is a favorite (and everyone tactfully keeps mum about the pointy ears). Despite the stigma, most Others are well enough accepted in the right circles. The only Others that are universally despised and who do not assimilate even partly are the suckers, or vampires. When Sunshine is kidnapped by a gang of vampires and lives to tell about it, her concept of the world is upended. I'm not going to give any more summary than that because, to be honest, you deserve to read it without any preconceived ideas.

There were so many things practically perfect about Sunshine:

1. The characters are believable. Sunshine expresses the approprate amounts of doubt and fear for interacting with vampires just as well as her frustration with the regular coffeehouse customer who complains about the cinnamon rolls every day but is so heartbroken when they are sold out (evidenced by more complaining) that they set one aside for him in the morning. Who wouldnt love to hate and also sort of depend on, an old man like that?
2. The magic doesn't take over the novel. Now, I wish it were longer or had a sequel so she could go deeper into the workings of this fantastical world but I admire that she didn't. This isn't a book about a world where vampires exist. This is a story about something that happens to a woman who lives in a world like that. We get enough details and explanation to follow along but it doesn't get bogged down with the mechanics of how the magic works. I've read plenty of science fiction in my day and although it's interesting, the story often gets lost in an effort to cover every angle. I respect an author who can cut through that.
3. On the same note, it's perfect first person limited. If I look at myself in the mirror, I rarely think, "I stand about 5'3'' with short brownish hair, brown eyes, and a smattering of freckles" but I might think, "is my right eyebrow higher than the other one?" Limited point of view (first or third person) should do the same. Thank you creative writing for ruining it for me, but I really savor books that have it right.
4. It ends well enough. I'm never ready for a good book to end, but as the major event of the novel wrapped up I remember being shocked that there were 40 pages left. It was nice to see what happened in the aftermath rather than ending with "they saved the day and lived happily ever after." There are enough unanswered questions at the end to be like a real life without so many as to be annoyingly obvious that's what they're going for. I get tired of every book making a statement with the last few paragraphs.
   

I realized now that most of my positive remarks have to do with the actual composition of the book or story, but that's what studying literature will do to you. Trust me on this one, it's a good read. In fact, it's I'm-going-to-renew-it-so-I-can-read-it-again-before-I-take-it-back-to-the-library good. Quintin, I think you would like it, if you can get your hands on it up there.

six words

Quintin reminded me of a spot on NPR he heard a while back where they had people submit their lives in six words. What would yours be?

why salmon are pink

One dark an stormy night, a summer many years ago, a large truck delivering sweet summer cherries was driving through Idaho on the highway that runs along the salmon river. Suddenly a large crash of lightning and gale-force winds caused the driver to swerve suddenly and he careened off the road and crashed into the river. His truck was dashed to pieces on the rocks below (that make up the rapid now called Cherry). Cherries went everywhere. That year, the salmon were all cherry flavored and their flesh has been pink ever since.

How was that, Q?

something Jonah likes

How can I tell he likes it? It could be the laughter, the kicking legs, or the wide-open grin.



Or it could be that when we were done filming this he tried to climb up Josh's legs, arms, and torso to do it again (but that's just a hunch).

P.S. I think he has a freckle? It seems a little soon, but some of his spaghetti didn't wash off. More definite answer to come.

Idaho, in superlatives

This was in response to Allison's prompt "give us your ultimate river guide face" (this is also her picture). It also is, Q says, very close to his "paddle or die" rapid face. Now, on to the superlatives. Josh's answers are green; mine are purple.

Best: camping on the beach between days
Worst: return flight
Best: camping
Worst: spider bites
Most fun: Time Zone
Least fun: not scoring a single point in horseshoes (I kid, a little bit. The game was fun even though we lost)
Most fun: either day 2 rapids or camping
Least fun: traveling
Best meal: salmon ala Q and Josh
Worst meal: nonexistent snack on flight
Best meal: salmon
Worst meal: Red Robin (the new steak sliders are not worth ordering, he says)Biggest surprise: Jonah loving the cold water
Least welcome surprise: the number (and variety) of spiders on the beach
Biggest surprise: nice weather
Least welcome surprise: amazing amounts of spiders

The first day crew hiked up to cave with hot springs and bats (!) and then left Dad in a patch of poison ivy. On day two we hiked up to an old cabin that housed many people but most recently (I think) a mine owner whose workers (think, slaves practically) killed him and covered it up so as to avoid being buried alive in the mine (it was cheaper to buy new labor than to move it from mine to mine). We also learned why salmon is pink and how Eskimos came to be.

I was really happy to see Quintin and to have a picture of what he does and where he is when we talk. This job has been such a big part of his life for the past 3 years and even though it took me until this year, I was really glad to finally be there in person. It was especially great to meet his friend Josh who he thinks of so highly and I've heard so much about. He was really nice and welcoming to all Q's crazy family and friends.

I was also surprised by the sheer amounts (and amazing quality) of the food. The website says "gourmet dinner" which it was. But it was also gourmet lunch, more drinks than we could consume, snacks, chocolate, homemade cookies, bacon/pancakes/melon/eggs for breakfast...you get the idea. It was delicious and fun to watch Quintin show off his cooking.

Check out Epleys.com for more information or this picture which is a favorite despite the fact (or because of it?) that Josh is only partially visible because he just fell off the front.

twaddle

I was reading this blog post on children's literature and came across my new favorite term: twaddle. Coined by Charlotte Mason, whose name meant nothing to me at the time, it covers terrible children's books that talks down to kids, offers no room for imagination, pushes a particular agenda or is a poorly disguised advertisement for a particular product. We read a lot of books (albeit the board books without much story at this point) here, but I have to tell you, there's a lot of twaddle out there. Here are my favorite under 1 books so far, so if you're looking for a good baby shower or birthday gift for an itty-bitty, try these out:

Can't You Sleep Dotty? by Tim Warnes (cute book, but the best part is the dog howls awoooo! and now Jonah does too)
Counting Geckos by Charline Profiri
That's Not My... by Fiona Watt (we have the dragon book, but they're all cute)
I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti

No twaddle there!

book ends

We're back from Idaho! We had a great time. Still, I'm pretty sure it will be more fun as soon as I sleep in my own bed tonight. I still need to collect pictures from everyone who had cameras and develop the film from my waterproof camera that I took on the boat, but here are the first and last pictures from my memory card:Jonah tries to climb into his car seat (on the airport floor) one too many times, so we just let him chill in it.Boys waiting for the luggage to arrive.

Jonah traveled better than I did (the turbulence that made me sick made him laugh) and hardly peeped on any of our flights. My glasses broke on the last leg of the trip, but all things considered, that's not too bad. I need new glasses anyway, right?

R.I.P.

In loving memory of
The Afternoon Nap
May 2008-June 2009

Things have gone much better since we dropped the nap two days ago. Today will be the first church with the new schedule, though, so we'll see.

We leave for rafting tomorrow (yippee!)

announcing auditions

Please continue filling in any good books you can think of (see the post below this one). There, now that I've said it I can freak out:

THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR IS HAVING OPEN CASTING IN PHOENIX IN 2 WEEKS!

Now, if I really wanted to be on the show, I could have sent in a video audition years ago. Still, seeing an announcement like that makes one pause. For about 45 seconds this morning I considered trying out, but seeing as I don't want to move to New York and film my own cooking show, I might pass. Still, I watch the Food Network like Josh watches the preview channel (read: all the time) and if I could just get on the show and meet Alton Brown...

P.S. Things have reached an all-time low here. Jonah is not eating (much) or sleeping (much) so I have resorted to leaving food on the floor for a few minutes after he eats (since he sometimes likes it better off the floor) in an attempt to stuff a few more calories in him. My mom and dad agreed to watch him tonight so Josh and I can go see the Diamondbacks game, so I hope he's on his best behavior for them, at least?

looking for books

Katie is running a summer read-a-thon at work and needs some recommendations! Boys and girls 3-18 are in the program, so pretty much anything is fair game. She said she's stumped on a couple of Jr. High age girls specifically, one who has recently made an effort to straighten out and another who is a hard-core evangelical. Anyone know any good Christian YA books? How about your favorite book in elementary, junior high, or high school? Or all of the above. I have already directed her to Janssen's blog, but I feel like there are a lot of good options that are decades old, too. Help!

he didn't get it from me

...but then he tried eating bubbles off the top of the water in the tub. I don't think that particular trait comes from either parent.

(And let me tell you, it's a bit disconcerting to watch your child try to lay face-down in the tub and pretty funny to see his bubble face afterward.)

sandbox

In other news, we got sand for the sandbox last night and had a really fun time breaking it in.Then, we pulled out some sidewalk chalk too (it was cloudy and cool yesterday; can you blame us?). While Jonah and I scribbled, Josh drew a beautiful tree that took him quite a few minutes to get just right. Jonah came to admire it...
...by sitting right on top of it (you can sort of see it at the bottom left under his leg). When I was little, I made Quintin move his Lego tower all around the house and down the stairs (where it finally broke) because I wanted to color in the exact spot(s) he was building. At least we know the baby got some of my personality?

stupid husband

Brian Regan has a skit that starts something like this: "why is it that every other commercial has a stupid husband in it?" Don't have any idea what he's talking about? Let me tell you (and I promise you'll start noticing, too). It's almost always a commercial targeted to women and there is a man with a goofy "ooops" on his face because he can't use the blender (lid is missing), pour spaghetti sauce (half ended on the floor) etc. The most recent incarnation I noticed is the yogurt commercials where a woman tells her friend all about the desserts she's been eating while losing weight (key lime pie, chocolate covered strawberry, strawberry cheesecake) while her husband pushes the yogurt aside looking for the desserts. At the end of the commercial, she comes over and hands him one of the yogurts with ah "here you are stupid husband." Poor husbands. I'm starting to get a little sad for them.

Still don't believe me? Don't skip the commercials next time. I promise you will see at least one during the 30-minute show. If commercials so overwhelmingly made fun of women, there would probably be a lawsuit. Besides, how many grown men do you know that can't pour spaghetti sauce?

better in pairs

Some good things are even better in a matched set. Two aces, for example, are better than one ace (cool picture, right? I don't know where the aces are E's, but I like it).:
Socks? Always better when you can find both:

Friends? I'll take two over one any day (Thanks, Erin for the picture).

Babies? Definitely. We just found out my sister is having twins and I'm so excited!! I've been seeing double ever since she told me. I can't think of better news, can you?