Imagination

Let me just say we are not feeling expecially great. It is barely 10 am today. Jake and I are eating progresso soup (0 ww points) and watching a little P&P. Yes, Jake is actually watching Pride and Prejudice with me! I offered to turn it off, but he wanted it on. We are sitting on my bed, and he says, "Mom, how is the movie?" So I ask him how the movie is. He says, "It's kind of scary. It's the dinosaur!" Yes, a little imagination goes a long way with Jake. 

Melt Your Heart

Jake's favorite game is to hide in very conspicuous places and make us say, "Where's Jake?" Recently he's taken to hiding Alisa. We cracked up when he said where's Alisa and we looked down to find this... Yep. Under the blanket, which, btw, was a Christmas present knitted especially for me by Scott's mom and sisters! Beautiful, isn't it?

Oh, my goodness! She is getting so big!!!!

Jake wanted to feed Alisa. It lasted about 30 seconds, but it was sweet! She looks really big! She IS wearing 18-24 month pj's, as I got them for 1.50 each on clearance and Target. 

On a personal note, Alisa has decided to ween herself, I think. She will be 9 months old on Sunday. Yesterday she had a hard time wanting to nurse and bit me really hard (She drew blood! Ouch!). Today she refused to nurse two of the four times! It was tricky getting her to nurse the other two times. She took a bottle just fine, though. I don't think I am ready for her to ween herself! Sniff, sniff. I am sad. I know it's just life, but I nursed Jake until he was a year old! 

Jake's latest saying: "When I'm older, I can do (or use) that..."(weed whacker, knife, scissors, anything sharp).

Scott has had long days this week. He had a laser class from 5:30-8:30 on Mon. and Tue. Tuesday he managed to sneak home for 30 minutes to eat with us before going to the class. Jake was so cute when Scott said he had to go. Clinging to his neck, he said, "Don't go dad! I will be so sad if you go! You just have to stay here with me! Please stay with me. I will be sad if you go to school!" Melt your heart! 

We're Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo...

We went to the zoo two weekends ago. So fun. Jake had a lot of fun, especially running around with Hallie G. He loved these gorilla statues. He loved the real gorillas, too. His favorite were the crocodiles. Maybe because of Peter Pan... Alisa loved the fish. 

Parroting and Misnomers

Mom. Listen to me. I know you are really sad, but...I need you to be happy. Ok?

Hallie, are you listening to me? Look at my eyes. I need you to listen.

Uh-oh. Hallie forgot her bandaid! (her headband)

Going in to church: I will sit with mom and Alisa and dad will play the ormament (organ).

We had a maintenance guy here doing some minor repairs (he unhooked the wires to the death trap heater in the bathroom!) and Jake was, of course, hanging out with him. Later, I asked Jake what he said to the guy. His response? "You are a good worker!" Nice.

Bath time, Mud, and Other Joys of my life!

Here are the two cuties in the bath together! They crack me up. Alisa is so into Jake and just wants to do whatever he is doing...which doesn't make him happy (mostly because she takes his toys).

The other day was sunny and warm. Jake turned on the hose, without my permission. He sprayed Alisa's chair and then made some serious mud in the garden area. The garden is planted now! Yea! (Except for tomatoes and some herbs...we'll plant those the first part of March). Alisa went straight for the water under the chair and had a great time eating grass and leaves. Jake got soooo muddy. Actually, every day it was warm he got soooo muddy. I did a whole load of muddy clothes laundry at the end of that warm spell. Love it. 

Alisa started full-on crawling a couple of weeks ago. She really gets around. She is mostly pulling up on her knees, but not all the way standing. However, last week I found her like this:

Well, she was actually really happy standing there, until I left to get the camera... Funny girl!

Last but not least, I made cookies for a family that took care of our kids for the marathon. One sheet was doughy and one was still baking, so I stuck the doughy ones back in the oven, thinking I'd take them out in a few. I went back to make a QUICK phone call (for a dr. appt. for Jake). I think it was a quick call, but then I got busy doing other things. Later, I smelled burning chocolate chips and came in to this:

So, they aren't burned, but they are really crispy! They are my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and I was bummed that I burned half of them! Ah! There is another instance that proves childbirth destroys the brain. 

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies (from my OLD roommate, Risa Webb)

1 c. butter 2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar 2 1/2 c. oatmeal, blended in blender to make powder

1 c. brown sugar 1/2 t. salt

2 eggs 1 t. baking powder

1 t. vanilla 1 t. baking soda

12 oz. chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients. Mix all together. Add chocolate chips. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets @ 375 for 6-8 minutes. Don't over-bake! (yes, my recipe says that!) Makes 56 cookies.

Alphabet Tag-my fourth post today. Just scroll on down. I'm bored.

Any hobbies...running, reading, soccer (I think I still like it!)

Best Memories...Disneyland as a kid, Lake Powell in the summers, Mexico family vacations, my wedding, laughing with Scott and the kids.

Cake or Pie...homemade carrot cake


Day of Choice...Saturday. Scott’s home!

Essential Item...running shoes for me, disposable diapers for kids.

Favorite color...silver, but green is probably second

Get up early or late...early…to get more done. I would love to sleep in, though…

Hometown...Flagstaff, AZ

Indulgence...ice cream…anything chunky

January or July...July, as long as we hit the pool every day!

Kids...Two

Love to...read

Marriage Date...June 28, 2003

Number of brothers and sisters...3 sisters, 2 brothers.

Open or close the bathroom door...open, so beware.


Phobia and Fears...knocking out my front teeth, fluttery, jumpy, unpredictable bugs, kids/hubby getting hurt

Quote..."The best things in life aren’t things." That just popped into my head. I love good quotes.


Reason to smile...Husband and kids. Health. The gospel. Life is good!

States lived in...Arizona, Utah, Texas, , North Dakota (Alabama & Georgia for a short time), Honduras (it’s a country, but it’s interesting!), California

Trips, Memorable...Playa del Carmen, Mexico with Scott. We rode the public bus everywhere. It took me back (to Honduras travel).

Unknown fact about me...I have never mowed a lawn before. Dumb, but true.

Vegetable...green beans, broccoli, good asparagus, sauted peppers and onions, carrots, sugar snap peas, edamame (ok, is that a veggie?) oh, yum! Love ‘em.

Want to learn to...cut hair, take great pictures (photography), play basket ball and tennis, decorate!

Xcellent Adventures...living in Honduras…where do I start? No running water. No flushing toilets. Bucket baths night and day with the frogs, eating lizards, tarantulas falling from the ceiling, burning tarantulas with Off repellent, scorpions, you name it. What an adventure.

Your favorite food...Anything ethnic--Thai, Vietnamese, Greek, Indian, Middle Eastern. Love Mexican.

Zodiac sign... Taurus 

I tag anyone willing to answer all these questions. If you do, you're probably putting off something exciting, like cleaning...

Waking Up & Our Snaggle-tooth

Alisa is our snaggle-tooth! She is now finally growing her front teeth (one is already mostly in). She looks like a first-grader or something! Great shot of her silly teeth.

 

It is so hard to wake up! Jake is in that wierd needs-a-nap-but-won't-take-one phase. So he falls asleep a lot in the afternoon. It's always been hard for him to wake up. Just like his daddy!

Double Trouble

Jake and Alisa, bundled up during Disney's Light Parade. Remember that? Still there.

We went to San Diego for my nephew's blessing. He was teenie-weenie (4 lbs. something) when he was born. Here, he was 6 lbs. Now, he's 8 lbs. at 7 weeks.

Jake and Alisa LOVE Nika, Jared and Amanda's doggie. Jake found a friend in Amanda's niece, Ali (Allie?). They came downstairs holding hands. CUTE!

DOUBLE TROUBLE. Enough Said. Jake and Hallie are hilarious together. So, I was making dinner in the kitchen, and they were playing out there quietly (my first clue something wasn't right). Alisa was whining a bit, but she just started that so I thought nothing of it. I must've been cooking up a storm. I heard Hallie say, "here, Alisa!" all nice and friendly-like. I praised her for being to nice to Alisa. Then here's what I found (2nd picture)... 

Alisa was COVERED in Desitin...the ointment. It's kind of like Vaseline. When I came out, I said, "Oh, my goodness! What happened?" to which Hallie promptly responded, "Jakey! and pointed. Not so innocent, though, with Desitin all over both of their shirts and hands! Ha! Bad mommy moment, I guess. Poor Alisa! It did come out after 2 days of bathing. Poor grease head.

quotes

Jake was whining about watching a movie. When I repeatedly said no, he came in and said, "Mom, remember I need to watch a movie 'cuz Jesus wants me to watch a movie!" Uh, huh.

Jake, what are you doing? 

He emerges with a big rock. "Mama, I have big muscles, and I throw the rock!" (as he throws it)

Today I let Jake watch Toy Story 2 in the afternoon, hoping he'd fall asleep. Maybe half way through, he said, "Mom, I just a little bit tired. I'm going to take a little nap, ok? Then I will watch the movie again." He laid down and a few minutes later he was out! It was a miracle!

"Dad, be careful! We have some waffles and they will sting you. Yeah, the waffles will sting you. You can't play with them." Wasps.

From his room, just now (he's in bed): "One, two, three... Mama! [pause] Mama, I hear you! [pause] One, two, three... Ahhhhh! Mama... mama, are you sleeping?"

Ode to the Big O

Why I LOVE my niece, Olivia!!!

1. She is sooo fun to play with! Look at the sweet snowman we made!

2. She is good at LOVING! She loves her brother, sisters, Jake and Alisa. She draws me pictures.

3. She has a style all her own. She says the funniest things! (see Jacqui's blog for proof)

4. She is a ball of energy!

5. Those big eyes and that mischievous smile. Love it.

6. She really is a sweetie and works hard in school. 

7. She can really shake that little booty! I will try to post it.

8. Where the binky gone? A classic in our family. 

Happy Birthday (one day late!) !!! I love you, Livs!

Bad Buzz Lightyear

Jake: My foot hurts, mama.

Me: Why?

Jake: Because Buzz Lightyear.

Me: Because of Buzz Lightyear? What?

Jake: Because Buzz Lightyear was sword fighting and went "swoosh, swoosh" (swinging action) and hurt my foot.

Me: Oh. Sorry.

Still don't know what this is about or where it came from. More to come...

Jake

Tonight we were at the Gerrard's. Jake ran out with a crazed look in his eye and a toy hammer in his hand. Out of breath, he told us there was a "crockroach" in Hallie's room and he tried to smash it. It was a cricket, so we told him the cricket's name was Jimminy and he should go find it. He was back there, with Hallie, saying, "Jiminy, where are you?" and then coming out to us to tell us he "losed it." 

So Scott was putting Jake to bed and was about to launch into "Lead me, guide me" when Jake said, "Wait, wait! I have to tell you a secret!" He then whispered, "The crockroach is my friend." Scott whispered back that it was his friend,too. Jake stopped playing and said aloud, "No, the crockroach is my friend!" 

2.6.07

Tonight I'm getting the king of stalling ready for bed, when he suddenly remembers, "Mom! We forgot to cut my nails! We forgot!" It hasn't been too long, Jake. Let me see...they aren't very long, Jake. "No mom! Hurry, let's get the cutters so the bugs don't get my nails!"  Nail bugs? Why not? We always scare him with the tooth bugs in his teeth! 

boring hair blues

Ok, so I stole the above from Ashley S.'s cousin's blog...you're right, Ashley. I do like her blog. Amazing pictures. Anyway, what do you think? It's probably because I secretly am hoping a haircut will make me look like these girls...??? (You know what I'm talking about, Megan! Katherine Zeta-Jones? Sandra Bullock?)

So I know this dress is nasty, but her hair...what do you think? I think she is so beautiful, but have never seen her hair straight like this...

thinking of getting a haircut. what do you think? could I pull this off? (NOT color, cut!) any suggestions?

Don't Think, Just Run.

Our new motto!

Desert Classic Marathon

2 February 2008

Welp, we did it! It was so much fun to run with all the girls from the Marathon Mommas! This marathon was so much easier than the last one. The course was much better, even though it did seem to be uphill both ways, but running with a group of girls made all the difference! Thanks, girls, for getting me past the wall I hit at mile 24! That was rough. Jen, your music made a world of difference. Thank you! I am so proud of all of us! I finished in 4 hours 25 minutes. I really felt great the whole time (until the last 2 miles). We couldn't see the finish line until we had .2 miles left. It was awesome to get to the top of that last hill and sprint it in. I am sure I looked so slow, but I felt like I was sprinting! 

I came home with 7 different brush burns (chafed skin--ouch!), blisters on my little toes, and a hurt knee. It was totally worth it and I'd do it again...I did promise Scott I wouldn't run another marathon until he was out of school. So, I'll do it again in a few years!