Today is the last day of NaBloPoMo, and I almost made it except for totally forgetting yesterday. Oops. I'm sure no one minded; it's been a long month and it will probably be nice to get a little break from my ranting and raving. By the way, if anyone knows of a good therapist in Utah County and would like to recommend someone, write a comment or shoot me an email. I'm starting to feel a little pre-partum craziness and think I should get on board before baby gets here and I'm too paralyzed by hormones to fix myself.
I also think part of the problem I'm having is sleep deprivation. Every time I sit down on my couch I fall asleep. And then my children go nuts and I wake up grouchy and disoriented. Not fun. I feel much more fatigued this pregnancy than I did with the other two; thankfully I haven't had quite so much hip pain this time around.
The good news for today is that I am now 30 weeks pregnant. I like this because I'm not going to make it to 40, so it's all downhill from here. February 4th is coming up rather quickly. Also today the mailman brought me a big fat package from my mom. I had asked her to grab me a few things from Trader Joe's when my parents came for Thanksgiving, but then they had to cancel their trip due to illness. I did not expect her to mail me stuff and was so, so happy to discover two boxes of dark-chocolate-covered Peppermint Jo-Jos! Those are the best things ever. Also, if you live near Trader Joe's you should buy a jar of their pumpkin pie spice. It has the usual cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, plus some lemon peel and cardamom for extra yumminess. My mom is so awesome. She also sent the kids some coloring stuff. Little Dude got to enjoy his markers for a few hours until he choose to take one in his room to color on his sheets. Now his markers are in the top of my closet with the other coloring stuff. Sigh. Life is hard when you are three.
I couldn't think of a better way to end the month than a random post. I'll probably take the next few days off, but I'm not promising anything. Happy December!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Reading Roundup: November 2009
Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color by Philip Ball
I have long been interested in art and so I found this book to be quite interesting. It was a bit difficult to read at times because it got very technical, so if you have more exposure to science it would probably be more readable for you. It is also a book that requires a lot of close attention and I don't have that opportunity much these days. Nevertheless, it was a good read and full of fun tidbits about paints and painting.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it is very well-written and I can see why it is generating so much buzz. I had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it, and the three main characters that tell the story are all well-written and very compelling. On the other hand, I always feel a little discomfort reading black dialect written by contemporary white women. I felt the same way about The Secret Life of Bees; it was a good story but a little too close to the edge of cliche for my taste.
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
This was our bookclub pick for the month and I really enjoyed it. I didn't know much about Seabiscuit or horse racing before starting it and yet the story is written in a lively, interesting way. There were so many moments that almost seemed 'stranger than fiction' and yet were even more fun to read because they were true. This is one of the better nonfiction books I've read in a while and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good historical story.
Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger
This is a retelling of Hamlet set in a small town in contemporary Minnesota. The writing is beautiful and the retelling worked well for me because it manages to be subtle. My only complaint was that the book was sometimes difficult to read because the narrator is a confused, angry teenaged boy. That aspect is a bit too realistic and sometimes frustrating.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
The problem with memoirs is that they can make you dislike the author just as easily as they could make you like her. I felt ambivalent about this book in that way; the author is a very good writer and makes a lot of good points about mental illness, but I still found it hard to relate to her and to her life in a meaningful way. Perhaps that is due more to generational and class differences, but this book was not one of my favorite memoirs.
Movies
Cria Cuervos
Since this is considered one of the seminal films in Spanish cinema I decided it was time for me to watch it. As expected, it was a little strange and surreal; the main theme is the inner world of children that often seems incomprehensible to adults. It is a good movie and certainly deserving of the praise it has received.
Gallipoli
I've seen this a few times in my life, but we decided to watch it since we were talking about Australia; and, it's a good film to see in honor of Veterans' Day. Some aspects of it feel a bit dated, especially the music, but the themes are still timely and the acting is great.
The Errand of Angels
After sitting through several horrendous previews at the beginning of the DVD we started to lose any optimism for this movie. Thankfully it was actually pretty good and we both laughed a lot in recognition of various scenes from our missions. I thought it was quite well done and one of the better LDS films I've seen in a while.
I have long been interested in art and so I found this book to be quite interesting. It was a bit difficult to read at times because it got very technical, so if you have more exposure to science it would probably be more readable for you. It is also a book that requires a lot of close attention and I don't have that opportunity much these days. Nevertheless, it was a good read and full of fun tidbits about paints and painting.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it is very well-written and I can see why it is generating so much buzz. I had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it, and the three main characters that tell the story are all well-written and very compelling. On the other hand, I always feel a little discomfort reading black dialect written by contemporary white women. I felt the same way about The Secret Life of Bees; it was a good story but a little too close to the edge of cliche for my taste.
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
This was our bookclub pick for the month and I really enjoyed it. I didn't know much about Seabiscuit or horse racing before starting it and yet the story is written in a lively, interesting way. There were so many moments that almost seemed 'stranger than fiction' and yet were even more fun to read because they were true. This is one of the better nonfiction books I've read in a while and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good historical story.
Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger
This is a retelling of Hamlet set in a small town in contemporary Minnesota. The writing is beautiful and the retelling worked well for me because it manages to be subtle. My only complaint was that the book was sometimes difficult to read because the narrator is a confused, angry teenaged boy. That aspect is a bit too realistic and sometimes frustrating.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
The problem with memoirs is that they can make you dislike the author just as easily as they could make you like her. I felt ambivalent about this book in that way; the author is a very good writer and makes a lot of good points about mental illness, but I still found it hard to relate to her and to her life in a meaningful way. Perhaps that is due more to generational and class differences, but this book was not one of my favorite memoirs.
Movies
Cria Cuervos
Since this is considered one of the seminal films in Spanish cinema I decided it was time for me to watch it. As expected, it was a little strange and surreal; the main theme is the inner world of children that often seems incomprehensible to adults. It is a good movie and certainly deserving of the praise it has received.
Gallipoli
I've seen this a few times in my life, but we decided to watch it since we were talking about Australia; and, it's a good film to see in honor of Veterans' Day. Some aspects of it feel a bit dated, especially the music, but the themes are still timely and the acting is great.
The Errand of Angels
After sitting through several horrendous previews at the beginning of the DVD we started to lose any optimism for this movie. Thankfully it was actually pretty good and we both laughed a lot in recognition of various scenes from our missions. I thought it was quite well done and one of the better LDS films I've seen in a while.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Not So Black Friday
Despite the fact that we spent most of the summer travelling, I will admit to feeling a bit of the urge to go somewhere else for Thanksgiving this year. My aunt was hosting my extended family at her home in Wyoming, and my parents happen to live somewhere warmer than here--both good candidates for a road trip. But other people's illnesses, as well as 30 weeks of pregnancy, convinced me to stay home this year. Thankfully it's still been a fun holiday. Yesterday we had a small (but yummy) dinner with Mr. Fob's sister and her family. Then this morning we drove up to see some old friends who are here in Utah for the week; we had a fun few hours visiting with them while the kids played. After that we drove back to my sister-in-law's house for more leftovers. On the way we decided to stop at Ikea because we wanted lunch and because I was hoping to pick up a few things. We generally try to avoid stores on "Black Friday" but they didn't seem excessively busy and we were hoping that the kids could play while we shopped (the kids love Ikea and Little Dude is finally out of diapers so he can play). The good news was that their meatball lunch was on sale for $1 (awesome!), the bad news was that playland was full. At least we got a yummy cheap lunch and I felt good about the kids getting a decent meal since I knew they wouldn't want the Thanksgiving leftovers later. We spent the afternoon with two of Mr. Fob's sisters, playing cards and eating pie. It was a lot like a vacation only I get to sleep in my own bed tonight.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Letter A
Here's a rundown on what we did this last month for countries starting with the letter A. I discovered that the main Crayola site has a coloring page with the flag of each country, so I've been printing them off for the kids and they love coloring them.
Afghanistan: We looked at a book from the library about the country and I printed off a few coloring pages from here. The kids especially liked the rug one. We ate kabobs with rice, naan, and some vegetables. The kids thought the kabobs were 'spicy' but Mr. Fob and I both liked them a lot; next time I would bake them in the oven or grill them because frying on the stove was messy and made them shrink a lot.
Armenia: We also looked through a book from the library (they only had one), colored the flag, and found it on the globe. Mr. Fob and I really liked the food and would make it again: yogurt chicken, pilaf, Greek salad, and stewed apricots (dried apricots cooked in water with a cinnamon stick until plump).
Australia: We did a bit more for this country because I could find quite a lot more resources. I got books about festivals and holidays, general overview of the country, and animals. We also read a picture book about a wombat and we colored the flag. For our family movie night I found a kids' movie from Australia called Dot and the Kangaroo at our library. I honestly thought it was kind of lame and it put me to sleep, but the kids really liked it and they keep talking about it. There are quite a few directors from Australia and a lot of good movies out there; older kids would probably like The Man from Snowy River or Strictly Ballroom. Mr. Fob and I watched Gallipoli for our personal movie night; I'd also recommend Rabbit-Proof Fence or Breaker Morant as good movies about Australian history (and the recent Australia is pretty good too). For our meal we ate meat pies with a tropical fruit salad, and I made some lamingtons using this recipe. I thought the lamingtons were pretty awesome.
Austria: We also read an informational book about the country as well as a picture book about Mozart. For dinner I made schnitzel, noodles (spaetzle), and sauteed red cabbage with apple. We all liked the schnitzel and noodles but no one liked the cabbage except for me. We watched The Sound of Music with the kids and I made some Sachertorte (recipe). Mr. Fob and I also watched a movie about sister missionaries in Vienna.
Argentina: We looked at a few books about the country, including one about festivals and one that is a picture book about living on a rancho. For dinner I made some chicken empanadas; they took quite a bit of work but were really tasty. Mr. Fob and I decided that the recipe is a definite keeper; Little Dude helped me make them and had a lot of fun doing them. We're busy this weekend and probably won't watch an Argentine movie, but I'd recommend any of these ones: Family Law, The Official Story, or A Place in the World.
Afghanistan: We looked at a book from the library about the country and I printed off a few coloring pages from here. The kids especially liked the rug one. We ate kabobs with rice, naan, and some vegetables. The kids thought the kabobs were 'spicy' but Mr. Fob and I both liked them a lot; next time I would bake them in the oven or grill them because frying on the stove was messy and made them shrink a lot.
Armenia: We also looked through a book from the library (they only had one), colored the flag, and found it on the globe. Mr. Fob and I really liked the food and would make it again: yogurt chicken, pilaf, Greek salad, and stewed apricots (dried apricots cooked in water with a cinnamon stick until plump).
Australia: We did a bit more for this country because I could find quite a lot more resources. I got books about festivals and holidays, general overview of the country, and animals. We also read a picture book about a wombat and we colored the flag. For our family movie night I found a kids' movie from Australia called Dot and the Kangaroo at our library. I honestly thought it was kind of lame and it put me to sleep, but the kids really liked it and they keep talking about it. There are quite a few directors from Australia and a lot of good movies out there; older kids would probably like The Man from Snowy River or Strictly Ballroom. Mr. Fob and I watched Gallipoli for our personal movie night; I'd also recommend Rabbit-Proof Fence or Breaker Morant as good movies about Australian history (and the recent Australia is pretty good too). For our meal we ate meat pies with a tropical fruit salad, and I made some lamingtons using this recipe. I thought the lamingtons were pretty awesome.
Austria: We also read an informational book about the country as well as a picture book about Mozart. For dinner I made schnitzel, noodles (spaetzle), and sauteed red cabbage with apple. We all liked the schnitzel and noodles but no one liked the cabbage except for me. We watched The Sound of Music with the kids and I made some Sachertorte (recipe). Mr. Fob and I also watched a movie about sister missionaries in Vienna.
Argentina: We looked at a few books about the country, including one about festivals and one that is a picture book about living on a rancho. For dinner I made some chicken empanadas; they took quite a bit of work but were really tasty. Mr. Fob and I decided that the recipe is a definite keeper; Little Dude helped me make them and had a lot of fun doing them. We're busy this weekend and probably won't watch an Argentine movie, but I'd recommend any of these ones: Family Law, The Official Story, or A Place in the World.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Crib Thing
We have a decent crib that we've used for two kids now. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, though, I've been debating replacing it. That's mostly due to this particular problem. We did end up putting some contact paper over the damaged parts, but Little Dude either chewed through it or pulled a lot of it off. So it doesn't look so hot anymore. For the last few months I've had an internal debate between my aesthetic sense and my frugal sense. I made up my mind to go ahead and sand down the crib and refinish it. That is the best thing to do, really, and probably won't be that hard. Especially once we end up in our new house with a garage. The baby will sleep in a bassinet for the first few months anyways so we have leeway. But then I've been reading stories about this recall, and even though that is not the brand of our crib, the stupid picture of the baby doll with his head trapped in the broken side will not get out of my paranoid pregnant brain. Our crib is a similar drop-side model, and the drop-side mechanism has been broken since about two weeks after we got it. That means it doesn't move at all and hasn't during the many years we've had the crib. The problem with pregnancy hormones is that they make you irrational and paranoid. It's no wonder the baby-supply industry can make so much money. I think I'll try and put off the crib decision until after we have the baby. And stop looking at that webpage.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Memes are fun!
i borrowed this one from Blue
1. What time did you get up this morning?
A little after 7; that's the usual time around here, at least for another 10 weeks. After that I don't want to think about it....
2. Diamonds or pearls?
I prefer pearls, but I don't really wear jewelry.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Um, probably the latest Harry Potter. I only make it out to the movies about once or twice a year.
4. What is your favorite TV show?
I always say Jeopardy! although I haven't watched it for a while because it isn't on at a good time. Lately I've been enjoying 30 Rock quite a bit as well, and the new season of Heroes has been pretty good so far.
5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Cereal; sometimes oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, usually something low-sugar and high fiber
6. What is your middle name?
Wouldn't you like to know? It's my paternal grandmother's name.
7. What food do you dislike?
Any kinds of strong cheese. And seaweed; therefore, I don't like sushi or most Japanese food.
8. What is your favorite CD at moment?
I've been enjoying Emmylou Harris in the car; looking forward to getting out the Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD we bought last year. It's awesome.
9. Favorite Color?
I don't really have one; I like green, blue, or yellow.
10. Favorite sandwich?
I have many; lately I've been craving either roast beef with Havarti or a nice French dip
11. What characteristic do you despise?
Arrogance
12. Favorite item of clothing?
Right now, anything that is not part of my limited maternity wardrobe. I look at my regular sweaters with envy. I miss them.
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Hawaii or Tahiti; somewhere warm. Or I'd take a train tour of Europe.
14 . Favorite brand of clothing?
Is DI a brand? I don't shop brands, but when I splurge I like stuff from Eddie Bauer.
15. Where would you retire to?
I'd love a beach house on the California or Oregon coast; depends on where family is.
16.What was your most recent memorable birthday?
All of them have been memorable.
17. What is your favorite sport to watch?
None of them
18. Furthest place you are sending this?
Um, not sure.
19. Person you expect to send it back first?
Don't know.
20. When is your birthday?
May 2
21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
A little of both; definitely not a middle-of-the-day person.
21.What Shoe Size do you wear?
Eight wide.
23. Pets?
We have a fish named Rojo; I wish we could get a dog.
24. Any new and exciting news you' d like to share with us?
Unfortunately no; if anyone could figure out a way to make the bank release the house we want to buy I will be eternally grateful.
25. What did you want to be when you were little?
A marine biologist living alone in Alaska. Except for the Alaska part, that sounds nice some days.
26. How are you today?
Pregnant and tired.
27. What is your favorite candy?
Chocolate, preferably dark. I also really like Twix bars and the Ritter Sport that have cookie in them.
28. What is your favorite flower?
Tulips
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
February 4th
30. What's your full name?
Foxy J ;)
31. What are you listening to right now?
The sound of sleeping children.
32. What was the last thing you ate?
Dinner: tuna casserole with fruit salad.
33. Do you wish on stars?
I haven't for a long time.
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Forest green.
35. How is the weather right now?
Cold
36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
Random salesperson; the phone doesn't ring very often around here.
37. Favorite soft drink?
I don't like soda, but sometimes I will drink cream soda with pizza.
38. Favorite restaurant?
I have many of them; I'd love to eat at Pizzeria 712 again. I also haven't been to Thai Chili Gardens for a while. Or Tucanos. Mmm...
39. Real hair color?
Brown; same one I've always had--never been dyed.
40. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Little Pony
41. Summer or winter?
I'd rather have summer; not a big winter fan.
42. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs from friends, kisses from my husband.
43. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate, preferably dark.
44. Coffee or tea?
I don't like hot drinks; I like cocoa when it has enough cold cream in it to make it lukewarm and rich.
45. Siblings? three brothers, one sister
46.When was the last time you cried?
For some reason I spent most of last Friday crying; and a lot of Saturday. I think I needed more sleep. I'm pregnant--I cry every day!
47. What is under your bed?
Nothing but dust.
48. What did you do last night?
Watched a movie, ate cake, went to bed.
49. What are you afraid of ?
Right now, something bad happening with the pregnancy.
50. Sweet or Savory?
Sweet.
51. How many keys on your key ring?
Three, I think.
52. How many years at your current job?
I don't have paid employment right now; I've been a mom for six years.
53. Favorite day of the week?
Don't really have one.
54. How many towns have you lived in?
Twelve, or more depending on how you count.
55. Are you an Introvert or Extrovert?
I think I'm an extrovert but it takes a while for me to warm up.
1. What time did you get up this morning?
A little after 7; that's the usual time around here, at least for another 10 weeks. After that I don't want to think about it....
2. Diamonds or pearls?
I prefer pearls, but I don't really wear jewelry.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Um, probably the latest Harry Potter. I only make it out to the movies about once or twice a year.
4. What is your favorite TV show?
I always say Jeopardy! although I haven't watched it for a while because it isn't on at a good time. Lately I've been enjoying 30 Rock quite a bit as well, and the new season of Heroes has been pretty good so far.
5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Cereal; sometimes oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, usually something low-sugar and high fiber
6. What is your middle name?
Wouldn't you like to know? It's my paternal grandmother's name.
7. What food do you dislike?
Any kinds of strong cheese. And seaweed; therefore, I don't like sushi or most Japanese food.
8. What is your favorite CD at moment?
I've been enjoying Emmylou Harris in the car; looking forward to getting out the Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD we bought last year. It's awesome.
9. Favorite Color?
I don't really have one; I like green, blue, or yellow.
10. Favorite sandwich?
I have many; lately I've been craving either roast beef with Havarti or a nice French dip
11. What characteristic do you despise?
Arrogance
12. Favorite item of clothing?
Right now, anything that is not part of my limited maternity wardrobe. I look at my regular sweaters with envy. I miss them.
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Hawaii or Tahiti; somewhere warm. Or I'd take a train tour of Europe.
14 . Favorite brand of clothing?
Is DI a brand? I don't shop brands, but when I splurge I like stuff from Eddie Bauer.
15. Where would you retire to?
I'd love a beach house on the California or Oregon coast; depends on where family is.
16.What was your most recent memorable birthday?
All of them have been memorable.
17. What is your favorite sport to watch?
None of them
18. Furthest place you are sending this?
Um, not sure.
19. Person you expect to send it back first?
Don't know.
20. When is your birthday?
May 2
21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
A little of both; definitely not a middle-of-the-day person.
21.What Shoe Size do you wear?
Eight wide.
23. Pets?
We have a fish named Rojo; I wish we could get a dog.
24. Any new and exciting news you' d like to share with us?
Unfortunately no; if anyone could figure out a way to make the bank release the house we want to buy I will be eternally grateful.
25. What did you want to be when you were little?
A marine biologist living alone in Alaska. Except for the Alaska part, that sounds nice some days.
26. How are you today?
Pregnant and tired.
27. What is your favorite candy?
Chocolate, preferably dark. I also really like Twix bars and the Ritter Sport that have cookie in them.
28. What is your favorite flower?
Tulips
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
February 4th
30. What's your full name?
Foxy J ;)
31. What are you listening to right now?
The sound of sleeping children.
32. What was the last thing you ate?
Dinner: tuna casserole with fruit salad.
33. Do you wish on stars?
I haven't for a long time.
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Forest green.
35. How is the weather right now?
Cold
36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
Random salesperson; the phone doesn't ring very often around here.
37. Favorite soft drink?
I don't like soda, but sometimes I will drink cream soda with pizza.
38. Favorite restaurant?
I have many of them; I'd love to eat at Pizzeria 712 again. I also haven't been to Thai Chili Gardens for a while. Or Tucanos. Mmm...
39. Real hair color?
Brown; same one I've always had--never been dyed.
40. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Little Pony
41. Summer or winter?
I'd rather have summer; not a big winter fan.
42. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs from friends, kisses from my husband.
43. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate, preferably dark.
44. Coffee or tea?
I don't like hot drinks; I like cocoa when it has enough cold cream in it to make it lukewarm and rich.
45. Siblings? three brothers, one sister
46.When was the last time you cried?
For some reason I spent most of last Friday crying; and a lot of Saturday. I think I needed more sleep. I'm pregnant--I cry every day!
47. What is under your bed?
Nothing but dust.
48. What did you do last night?
Watched a movie, ate cake, went to bed.
49. What are you afraid of ?
Right now, something bad happening with the pregnancy.
50. Sweet or Savory?
Sweet.
51. How many keys on your key ring?
Three, I think.
52. How many years at your current job?
I don't have paid employment right now; I've been a mom for six years.
53. Favorite day of the week?
Don't really have one.
54. How many towns have you lived in?
Twelve, or more depending on how you count.
55. Are you an Introvert or Extrovert?
I think I'm an extrovert but it takes a while for me to warm up.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The never-ending dinner appointment
Tonight Mr. Fob and I watched a fun, sweet little movie called The Errand of Angels. It's about a sister missionary serving in Austria (we checked it out because we did Austria this week). I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I expected too; the plot is a little sparse but I thought the understatement was certainly better than overstatement could have been. We also laughed quite a bit as we recognized things that were familiar from our mission: falling asleep while saying prayers, 'companionship inventories' that are really passive-aggressive (or aggressive) disagreements, people who enthusiastically invite you in only to kick you out after realizing who you are, tracting an entire apartment building with every door slammed in your face, eating meals in small apartments crowded with stuffed animals and weird knick-knacks, and of course the odd food. Not just the food, but the enthusiastic members who seem to assume that missionaries have massive appetites. There was a brief scene edited to show the sisters trying their best to eat their way through a five-course meal. That one reminded me of the time my companion and I were invited to supper by a sweet Peruvian lady. Most meals we ate were served in standard European fashion: first course, second course, dessert. Generally the first course was soup or pasta. This time we had been invited in the later evening, which is usually a smaller meal and often just one course. When we arrived she brought out fish sticks, bread and salad. It seemed like a nice supper and we ate heartily, even accepting second helpings. When we finally pushed back our plates and thanked her, she jumped up and said "oh good, now you're ready for the second course!" Then she brought out plates heaped with chicken and rice. Did I mention that we were also squished onto a lumpy couch at a folding table with a large German shepherd prowling around our feet? And her daughter kept coming into the room and turning up the stereo, which we kept trying to turn down every time she'd leave? It was certainly one of the more interesting dinner appointments of my mission. At least the food was well-cooked and there wasn't a senile old woman yelling swear words at us (that was a different appointment).
Saturday, November 21, 2009
We should do this more often
Mr. Fob and I celebrated our anniversary today with a real, live date. I think we should do that more often (well, not quite as expensive as today's, but something where we actually leave the house). I guess I need to be more proactive about making some sort of regular babysitting arrangements. In California we worked out a nice exchange with two other couples and had a regular date night for a while; it was great.
Today we went to see the musical Children of Eden at BYU. I'd never heard of it before, but it was written by Stephen Schwartz, who is more famous for Godspell and Wicked. I was pleasantly surprised by the production; the story and music were great and I thought the performers did a fantastic job. The costuming and staging were really cool too; I can see how it could be a big show, but they took a more minimalist approach that worked well. After that we decided to try out our trendiness by eating at Pizzeria 712 here in Orem. I like food quite a bit, but confess to being intimidated by ingredients like duck confit and arugula. I'm not that much of a foodie. I do like to support local business and sustainable ingredients so I've been wanting to try out the restaurant, and it did not disappoint. The service was perfect and the food was delicious. We had a salad with beets, arugula, and ricotta along with a pizza that was topped with spinach, Gouda, smoked prosciutto, and caramelized onion. The pizza was awesome; I couldn't get enough of the tasty chewy crust. We shared an apple crisp for dessert (since it was a special occasion), but both agreed that while it was tasty it didn't impress us more than homemade dessert. Children of Eden is still playing for one more week (not next week, but the one after) and Pizzeria 712 is open for lunch and dinner, so give them a try. Now I've just got to get a group together to take me out to Communal in Provo. I think I like this whole "support local business" thing.
PS--The other day I stopped by Provo Bakery to reward Little Dude and myself for getting our H1N1 shots, and I have to agree that they make the best donuts around. And orange rolls; now I can't stop thinking about orange rolls. Good thing I don't live very close to it anymore.
Today we went to see the musical Children of Eden at BYU. I'd never heard of it before, but it was written by Stephen Schwartz, who is more famous for Godspell and Wicked. I was pleasantly surprised by the production; the story and music were great and I thought the performers did a fantastic job. The costuming and staging were really cool too; I can see how it could be a big show, but they took a more minimalist approach that worked well. After that we decided to try out our trendiness by eating at Pizzeria 712 here in Orem. I like food quite a bit, but confess to being intimidated by ingredients like duck confit and arugula. I'm not that much of a foodie. I do like to support local business and sustainable ingredients so I've been wanting to try out the restaurant, and it did not disappoint. The service was perfect and the food was delicious. We had a salad with beets, arugula, and ricotta along with a pizza that was topped with spinach, Gouda, smoked prosciutto, and caramelized onion. The pizza was awesome; I couldn't get enough of the tasty chewy crust. We shared an apple crisp for dessert (since it was a special occasion), but both agreed that while it was tasty it didn't impress us more than homemade dessert. Children of Eden is still playing for one more week (not next week, but the one after) and Pizzeria 712 is open for lunch and dinner, so give them a try. Now I've just got to get a group together to take me out to Communal in Provo. I think I like this whole "support local business" thing.
PS--The other day I stopped by Provo Bakery to reward Little Dude and myself for getting our H1N1 shots, and I have to agree that they make the best donuts around. And orange rolls; now I can't stop thinking about orange rolls. Good thing I don't live very close to it anymore.
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Real Sexiest Man Alive
Eight years, six moves, five degrees, two (and a half) kids, and countless containers of ice cream later--still sexy! Happy Anniversary! Thursday, November 19, 2009
Hospitality
This evening I vacuumed my living room for the first time in about two weeks. I did it partly because the clutter on the floor was bothering me, and partly because my visiting teachers were supposed to come (they ended up cancelling due to illness). As I was vacuuming, I thought about the fact that they would probably come in and tell me that my home looks nice, and that I would probably be embarrassed and deflect the complement. This got me thinking about the fact that I (and other women I know) tend to have a conflicted relationship with keeping nice homes. On the one hand, you don't want to be terribly messy, but on the other hand there seems to be something wrong in taking too much time to have your home look nice. I realized tonight that I shouldn't feel embarrassed if people realize that I took time to clean for them. They are my guests. On my mission I visited with many people from many different countries in their homes. Most other cultures have fairly elaborate protocol for entertaining guests, even visiting teachers or family. Yet in America I think we often try hard to be casual, to make guests feel like they aren't a big deal. It would be weird to pull out a nice tea set and appetizers for my visiting teachers, and yet for many people around the world this would be standard. Even if someone drops by they still scurry around to wear something nice, get them some special slippers, and offer snacks. I realized tonight that I like making people feel comfortable in my home and that I won't be embarrassed if they realize that I've made an effort to welcome them. And if they drop by unexpectedly I won't be embarrassed either.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I agree!
I think People magazine is right on the money with this year's pick for Sexiest Man Alive. I've had a crush on him ever since my mom gave us some money and dropped us off at the theater one afternoon to watch Edward Scissorhands. I don't know what's wierder: that I think Edward Scissorhands is sexy or that Johnny Depp is 46.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
28 Weeks
For the record, today was slightly better than yesterday. I managed to keep my positive attitude despite not receiving the anticipated phone call from the bank. If we're not in our bigger house with a dishwasher before Thanksgiving we might just go ahead and have pizza for dinner that day. With paper plates. Anyways, today only had a few rough spots. I'm sure that part of the problem with Little Dude lately is his lack of sleep; he woke up again freaking out in the middle of the night. Tonight he confided in me that he doesn't like his bed and he wants to sleep in mommy and daddy's room all night (yeah right!). It's weird because last week when we were talking about what we're thankful for he specifically mentioned his fire truck bed. He talks about it all the time, but apparently sleeping in it is not OK.
Today I had another checkup at the doctor's office. The good news is that baby is growing well, my blood pressure is nice and low, and I've gained less than 15 pounds so far. Really, everything is going well. However, I was thinking about calling this post "how many pills can I take in one day." Today when I went in I decided to have them test me for a bladder infection. I've actually been feeling some, uh, discomfort for several weeks now. It tends to come and go, though, and so I've been hesitating over making a big deal over it or not. A few weeks ago they treated me for yeast, but it never seemed to go away. Then for the last week I've been struck with a feeling of needing to pee all the time (not unusual for being pregnant) and a lot more cramping and contracting (also not too unusual for third trimester). I'm glad I asked them to test me, because it turns out that I do have an infection. I've been feeling ambivalent about this because now I have to take antibiotics four times a day for the next week. This is along with my fiber pills, the iron supplement, and the daily Zantac that makes it so I can actually eat. I should probably be taking some vitamins too but I haven't been so good at it. I normally don't like taking a lot of medicine and I feel wary about it when I'm pregnant. But, all the things I'm taking have had positive effects on me so far. I hope this antibiotic really will clear up the problem so I can get through the next little while without constantly feeling like I'm going to pee all over the place. Thankfully I will be able to stop taking most of these pills after this baby gets here. Only twelve weeks to go!
Today I had another checkup at the doctor's office. The good news is that baby is growing well, my blood pressure is nice and low, and I've gained less than 15 pounds so far. Really, everything is going well. However, I was thinking about calling this post "how many pills can I take in one day." Today when I went in I decided to have them test me for a bladder infection. I've actually been feeling some, uh, discomfort for several weeks now. It tends to come and go, though, and so I've been hesitating over making a big deal over it or not. A few weeks ago they treated me for yeast, but it never seemed to go away. Then for the last week I've been struck with a feeling of needing to pee all the time (not unusual for being pregnant) and a lot more cramping and contracting (also not too unusual for third trimester). I'm glad I asked them to test me, because it turns out that I do have an infection. I've been feeling ambivalent about this because now I have to take antibiotics four times a day for the next week. This is along with my fiber pills, the iron supplement, and the daily Zantac that makes it so I can actually eat. I should probably be taking some vitamins too but I haven't been so good at it. I normally don't like taking a lot of medicine and I feel wary about it when I'm pregnant. But, all the things I'm taking have had positive effects on me so far. I hope this antibiotic really will clear up the problem so I can get through the next little while without constantly feeling like I'm going to pee all over the place. Thankfully I will be able to stop taking most of these pills after this baby gets here. Only twelve weeks to go!
Monday, November 16, 2009
At least the ending was good
Today was not a great day. I was determined to have a good day and woke up with a positive attitude (I'm trying the 'power of positive thinking' approach on the people at the bank). This morning I even cleaned out the fridge and tidied up the kitchen. Then I had to run errands with Little Dude; stopping at three different places means getting in and out of the car six different times. Each of those times involves a struggle over adjusting the car seat, buckling the car seat, reminding him once again that he should not get in the car and lock his door, or play around, and so on. Shopping with him is exhausting because he won't ride in the cart anymore, and he's really too big for me to put in there anyways. Generally he's fairly well-behaved, but my brain gets so tired of keeping track of him, maneuvering the cart, following my list, calculating prices on things, and so on. Plus it was cold outside and my coat won't zip up anymore. I don't like Mondays because S-Boogie gets out of school right after lunch so the day always feels too short. Monday is library day so we went; again it's not too bad, but trying to make my way through the library with two children is a headache (my brain gets overstimulated easily and that is my one big weakness as a mom). After we got home I started cooking dinner and while I was cooking the kids got out markers and crayons to color with. However, they started just playing around with them instead of coloring and Little Dude's crayon tub got knocked to the floor. Instead of cleaning them up like I asked him to, he started drawing on the floor with them. I was cooking and didn't notice right away. This has happened before, so I decided to throw away all the crayons and the tub because frankly, I'm sick of art right now. The kids go through about 20 pieces of paper a day and my house is always covered in random papers, tape, and crayon. Perhaps for Christmas I'll get them each a box of crayons in their stocking but right now we need new hobbies around here. I gave Little Dude a rag and a bottle of cleaner and he cleaned most of the crayon off the floor. Oh, and the other crazy thing for the day happened as I was leaving to pick up S-Boogie from school. Instead of getting right in the car, Little Dude stopped to mess around with his bike for a bit. I finally got him in the car and we pulled out of the garage. As I hit the remote to close the door, I watched it come down on his bike which he had left partway out and snap off the handle (it is a trike with a push handle). I was so frustrated because I usually walk to S-Boogie's school and push him on his bike. I guess he's going to have to really start pedalling now!
Whew!
Thankfully we had a delicious dinner, a moderately successful family home evening and a very yummy treat. And the kids went to sleep right away. I might have to go eat more treat because I'm going to go watch a few more episodes of Mad Men on DVD. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day!
Whew!
Thankfully we had a delicious dinner, a moderately successful family home evening and a very yummy treat. And the kids went to sleep right away. I might have to go eat more treat because I'm going to go watch a few more episodes of Mad Men on DVD. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Steadfast and Immovable: Today's Talk
Today I gave a talk in sacrament meeting; it was an interesting experience. I have not given a talk for a few years and I actually didn't really feel like it. Pregnancy hormones also leave me feeling kind of vulnerable and insecure and so I just didn't feel like public speaking. But I'm glad I did it because I learned a lot while writing and researching the talk. I was third on the program after two other women from the ward, both in the 'young mother' category like me. The first one immediately burst into tears and proceeded to cry off and on throughout the rest of her talk, the second one was also quite emotional during hers. I actually felt pretty self-conscious because not only did I not cry during my talk (yes pregnancy makes me weepy, but I try really hard not to be weepy in public because I get embarrassed by it), but I also took a more analytical, scripture-based approach to the topic. That's just the way I do things. I don't usually write out my entire talk word-for-word, but here are some of the parts I used:
Scriptural phrase: from Mosiah 5:15
“Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all”
What is the context of the scripture?
It is the final scripture in the chapter, the last words of King Benjamin to the people. Prior to this he has given his sermon, which we know a lot about already. In chapters two through four he bore testimony of the Savior and discussed how the people should behave when they have become saved through His name. The people all cried out that they had been converted and desired from that point forward to serve the Lord. The people had experienced a mighty change in their hearts and entered into a covenant with God to always remember him; this verse is King Benjamin’s final admonition to them of how and why to keep this covenant (read verse 13 about not knowing a master whom ye have not served)
We must remain steadfast and abound in good works in order to retain the ‘name’ that we have taken upon us, which is Christ’s. One thought—grace and works; Benjamin emphasizes that we are saved through the grace of Christ, but access to that comes through our works—our willingness to step up and receive Him; we must ‘retain’ our salvation and continue steadfast—just to be baptized and make covenants is not enough. We must make and keep our covenants. (Nephi reminds us of that in Second Nephi 31:19-20 )
How do we do that? What are some things that have been suggested in the scriptures?
1. Keep the commandments/live with integrity and a desire to be like Christ—work towards ‘becoming’
2. Remember what God has done for us, both individually and collectively (studying scriptures, keeping our own records, bearing testimony)
3. ‘Abound in good works’ (what does that mean? What are good works?)
1. We can become steadfast and immovable by working on ‘becoming’. Dallin H. Oaks has observed that “the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” Like the people of King Benjamin, once we have become converted the challenge is to then remain steadfast. Yes, there does seem to be a sort of checklist of things we can ‘do’ (like fulfilling our callings, family prayer, scripture study), but once we have received the ordinances of baptism and the temple our main challenge is to remain steadfast. A lower law can give us a ‘checklist’ of things to do, but the higher law is deceptively easy. Sometimes when we think that things are no longer laid out for us it is an invitation to ‘coast’ or to do less; instead, it is a challenge to look inside ourselves and really find out what our personal mission is. What kind of a person does God want us to be? What should we be doing at each stage in our lives? What are the most important things we could be doing now to become like Christ? These days there are many options for our lives and many things that seek our time, but the real challenge is to choose those which are best for us at a given moment in our lives.
2. Two years ago in conference, president Eyring gave a talk about the importance of remembering what God has done in our lives. He shared a spiritual prompting that lead him to start writing in his journal, and noted that
“Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.”
I thought it interesting to note the two things that President Eyring learned from his experience; both gratitude for the good things that God has done in his life, and a stronger testimony of Heavenly Father’s love. It is a cycle; remembering and acknowledging the hand of God in our lives will draw us closer to Him, strengthening our testimony and giving us greater awareness of the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost can then touch our hearts and help us remember and acknowledge the hand of God in our lives; and so on.
I have also found significant the questions posed by Alma to the people of Zarahemla in chapter 5 of Alma. As you know, Alma had been both the High priest of the church and the chief judge, but gave up his judge position to spend more time with the church after its members begin to stray. We often look at the questions a little later in the chapter that he asks members to consider individually about receiving Christ (“have ye spiritually been born of God?”) But in the beginning of his talk he also reminds them of their deliverance as a people; Alma’s father, Alma the elder, heard the words of Abinadi and experienced a change of heart; not only did the Lord deliver the people from sin, but also literally from bondage. Chapter 5, verse 6 asks… This year as we have been studying Church history as well as the teachings of Joseph Smith, I have often pondered that question: “have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers?” It is important to remember the hand of God in our history, whether or not we are directly related to those it happened to. Family history, church history, and stories from the scriptures are all important means of remembering what God can do for people and for drawing strength from the example of people who have remained steadfast and immovable in their lives.
3. King Benjamin characterizes being ‘steadfast’ with ‘abounding’ in good works. What does it mean to ‘abound’ in good works? President Kimball wrote an article for the Ensign titled ‘The Abundant Life’, in which he notes that
“The abundant life noted in the scriptures is the spiritual sum that is arrived at by the multiplying of our service to others and by investing our talents in service to God and to man. Jesus said, you will recall, that on the first two commandments hang all the law and the prophets, and those two commandments involve developing our love of God, of self, of our neighbors, and of all men. There can be no real abundance in life that is not connected with the keeping and the carrying out of those two great commandments. Unless the way we live draws us closer to our Heavenly Father and to our fellowmen, there will be an enormous emptiness in our lives”
Everything is interconnected; when we focus on what we can do to become like Christ, we naturally desire to serve Him and those around us. As we reflect on the experiences we have in service, we feel the Holy Ghost more strongly, which will then lead us to 'do good'. I view this process as something like a spiral, coiling around and yet reaching upward at the same time. It also seems to be a paradox; we become 'steadfast' not by hiding in our homes doing nothing, but by motion and engaging with the world and others. I know that as we remember the covenants we have made and 'abound in good works' we can truly become like our Heavenly Father.
Scriptural phrase: from Mosiah 5:15
“Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all”
What is the context of the scripture?
It is the final scripture in the chapter, the last words of King Benjamin to the people. Prior to this he has given his sermon, which we know a lot about already. In chapters two through four he bore testimony of the Savior and discussed how the people should behave when they have become saved through His name. The people all cried out that they had been converted and desired from that point forward to serve the Lord. The people had experienced a mighty change in their hearts and entered into a covenant with God to always remember him; this verse is King Benjamin’s final admonition to them of how and why to keep this covenant (read verse 13 about not knowing a master whom ye have not served)
We must remain steadfast and abound in good works in order to retain the ‘name’ that we have taken upon us, which is Christ’s. One thought—grace and works; Benjamin emphasizes that we are saved through the grace of Christ, but access to that comes through our works—our willingness to step up and receive Him; we must ‘retain’ our salvation and continue steadfast—just to be baptized and make covenants is not enough. We must make and keep our covenants. (Nephi reminds us of that in Second Nephi 31:19-20 )
How do we do that? What are some things that have been suggested in the scriptures?
1. Keep the commandments/live with integrity and a desire to be like Christ—work towards ‘becoming’
2. Remember what God has done for us, both individually and collectively (studying scriptures, keeping our own records, bearing testimony)
3. ‘Abound in good works’ (what does that mean? What are good works?)
1. We can become steadfast and immovable by working on ‘becoming’. Dallin H. Oaks has observed that “the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” Like the people of King Benjamin, once we have become converted the challenge is to then remain steadfast. Yes, there does seem to be a sort of checklist of things we can ‘do’ (like fulfilling our callings, family prayer, scripture study), but once we have received the ordinances of baptism and the temple our main challenge is to remain steadfast. A lower law can give us a ‘checklist’ of things to do, but the higher law is deceptively easy. Sometimes when we think that things are no longer laid out for us it is an invitation to ‘coast’ or to do less; instead, it is a challenge to look inside ourselves and really find out what our personal mission is. What kind of a person does God want us to be? What should we be doing at each stage in our lives? What are the most important things we could be doing now to become like Christ? These days there are many options for our lives and many things that seek our time, but the real challenge is to choose those which are best for us at a given moment in our lives.
2. Two years ago in conference, president Eyring gave a talk about the importance of remembering what God has done in our lives. He shared a spiritual prompting that lead him to start writing in his journal, and noted that
“Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.”
I thought it interesting to note the two things that President Eyring learned from his experience; both gratitude for the good things that God has done in his life, and a stronger testimony of Heavenly Father’s love. It is a cycle; remembering and acknowledging the hand of God in our lives will draw us closer to Him, strengthening our testimony and giving us greater awareness of the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost can then touch our hearts and help us remember and acknowledge the hand of God in our lives; and so on.
I have also found significant the questions posed by Alma to the people of Zarahemla in chapter 5 of Alma. As you know, Alma had been both the High priest of the church and the chief judge, but gave up his judge position to spend more time with the church after its members begin to stray. We often look at the questions a little later in the chapter that he asks members to consider individually about receiving Christ (“have ye spiritually been born of God?”) But in the beginning of his talk he also reminds them of their deliverance as a people; Alma’s father, Alma the elder, heard the words of Abinadi and experienced a change of heart; not only did the Lord deliver the people from sin, but also literally from bondage. Chapter 5, verse 6 asks… This year as we have been studying Church history as well as the teachings of Joseph Smith, I have often pondered that question: “have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers?” It is important to remember the hand of God in our history, whether or not we are directly related to those it happened to. Family history, church history, and stories from the scriptures are all important means of remembering what God can do for people and for drawing strength from the example of people who have remained steadfast and immovable in their lives.
3. King Benjamin characterizes being ‘steadfast’ with ‘abounding’ in good works. What does it mean to ‘abound’ in good works? President Kimball wrote an article for the Ensign titled ‘The Abundant Life’, in which he notes that
“The abundant life noted in the scriptures is the spiritual sum that is arrived at by the multiplying of our service to others and by investing our talents in service to God and to man. Jesus said, you will recall, that on the first two commandments hang all the law and the prophets, and those two commandments involve developing our love of God, of self, of our neighbors, and of all men. There can be no real abundance in life that is not connected with the keeping and the carrying out of those two great commandments. Unless the way we live draws us closer to our Heavenly Father and to our fellowmen, there will be an enormous emptiness in our lives”
Everything is interconnected; when we focus on what we can do to become like Christ, we naturally desire to serve Him and those around us. As we reflect on the experiences we have in service, we feel the Holy Ghost more strongly, which will then lead us to 'do good'. I view this process as something like a spiral, coiling around and yet reaching upward at the same time. It also seems to be a paradox; we become 'steadfast' not by hiding in our homes doing nothing, but by motion and engaging with the world and others. I know that as we remember the covenants we have made and 'abound in good works' we can truly become like our Heavenly Father.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
What do you do all day?
I'm feeling a little cynical tonight (it was a long day with tired children and a bored mommy), but I ask the question genuinely. For those of you who are stay-at-home moms, and those of you who aren't, what kinds of things fill your time? I've been feeling a little bored lately, and after reading three books in three days I'm trying to figure out what else I could be doing with myself. Most mornings I wake up, help the kids get ready and get myself ready, and get S-Boogie off to school. Then I usually spend about an hour washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen and most days start some laundry. After that, I tend to spend the next five or six hours until S-Boogie gets home reading a book and trying to keep Little Dude from driving us both crazy. Sometimes he'll play with toys; lately he really likes to do art projects, play with Play Doh, or do puzzles. After S-Boogie gets home from school we have some snacks, sometimes she has homework, and I cook dinner while the kids play. While occasionally we have other obligations, most of the time right now our lives are pretty free-form. I've been cooking a lot more lately, but to be honest there's only so much food four people can eat, especially in the form of baked goods. I try to limit my grocery shopping trips to once or twice a week because I just don't have that much money to spend.
So I know that in just a few short months I'll have a newborn and my free time will be gone. I also know that there is more cleaning I could be doing in my home, and that I could probably add some exercise to the routine. But I am also curious about how other people fill their time. I've thought of getting my sewing machine fixed and doing some more sewing or crafts, but again it costs money. Maybe what I really should do is get a job. Then I'd have some extra money. Of course then I'd have no free time to spend it in.
So I know that in just a few short months I'll have a newborn and my free time will be gone. I also know that there is more cleaning I could be doing in my home, and that I could probably add some exercise to the routine. But I am also curious about how other people fill their time. I've thought of getting my sewing machine fixed and doing some more sewing or crafts, but again it costs money. Maybe what I really should do is get a job. Then I'd have some extra money. Of course then I'd have no free time to spend it in.
Friday, November 13, 2009
I can't stop laughing
I was going to post this on the kids' blog, but I figure that I need a post for today. It also made me realize that I don't spend enough time just laughing and enjoying myself. I used to do it a lot and now I have a hard time relaxing. Little Dude has been particularly difficult lately, but thankfully he made us laugh at least two times. I still laugh thinking about the one from lunch.
Lunchtime:
LD: "Daddy, can I watch Mission to Mars after lunch?" [it's a Backyardigans DVD that he loves]
Daddy: "Sorry, but I took it back to the library."
Mr. Fob to me: "Featuring the voice of Alicia Keys" [quoting the annoying preview we've seen a billion times]
LD: "What! I don't even like Alicia Keys! I don't like broccoli, or carrots, or tomatoes either. Or salad!"
Dinnertime:
LD: "Knock, knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
LD: "Children with glue in their eyes"
Me: "Children with glue in their eyes, who?"
LD: "Milk!"
Some days I regret the fact that he has learned how to talk because then I hear things like "I won't" or "I'm never going to get dressed" or "I want to sleep in Mommy and Daddy's room all night". But he has a charming (and random) sense of humor that does manage to crack me up!
Lunchtime:
LD: "Daddy, can I watch Mission to Mars after lunch?" [it's a Backyardigans DVD that he loves]
Daddy: "Sorry, but I took it back to the library."
Mr. Fob to me: "Featuring the voice of Alicia Keys" [quoting the annoying preview we've seen a billion times]
LD: "What! I don't even like Alicia Keys! I don't like broccoli, or carrots, or tomatoes either. Or salad!"
Dinnertime:
LD: "Knock, knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
LD: "Children with glue in their eyes"
Me: "Children with glue in their eyes, who?"
LD: "Milk!"
Some days I regret the fact that he has learned how to talk because then I hear things like "I won't" or "I'm never going to get dressed" or "I want to sleep in Mommy and Daddy's room all night". But he has a charming (and random) sense of humor that does manage to crack me up!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Exhibit A: Irrational Obsession
Remember how I asked if pregnancy makes you crazy? I'm glad so many other people understand where I'm coming from; for the record, PMS tends to do the same thing to me too. I generally have a few days each month where I cry over everything and get frustrated easily by little things. Like some of my irrational obsessions that take hold of me now and then.
This morning I headed over to Target to get a few things that we need. Yesterday I found a coupon online to try new gingerbread Pop Tarts. I'm not usually a big fan of Pop Tarts, but I love gingerbread and though they'd be a fun treat. Sadly, Target had no gingerbread ones anywhere. I ended up in a bad mood because they were also clean out of several other things that I had planned on buying. I really hate it when I go to a store and they don't have what I'm looking for in stock. It's been happening way too much to me lately. Even though I had Little Dude with me I decided to go to Walgreens since I needed some iron supplements and wanted a broader selection. They did have some iron supplements that promise to be gentle on the tummy (we'll see), but no Pop Tarts either. By this point all I could think about was gingerbread and Pop Tarts. So I decided to push the limit with Little Dude and take him to Smiths. Alas, no gingerbread Pop Tarts either. I talked myself out of buying gingerbread cookies by remembering my tasty gingerbread muffin recipe and so came home to make some muffins instead. I started crying a little when I opened the cupboard and realized that I didn't have very much molasses left. Thankfully it was enough for half a batch of muffins; instead of half an egg I just used the white and they were acceptable. Since I have now used the word 'gingerbread' about a million times in this post I will give you the recipe:
Gingerbread Mini Muffins
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup molasses
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 tsps. grated lemon peel (optional)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream
Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add molasses and egg and beat just until combined. Mix together flour and spices; mix half the flour into dough, then sour cream, then remaining flour mixture. Pour into mini muffin pans and bake at 375 for about 12-14 minutes.
These are great plain, but if you want to make them fancy you can either drizzle with a little cream cheese frosting or serve them with orange marmalade or lemon curd.
This morning I headed over to Target to get a few things that we need. Yesterday I found a coupon online to try new gingerbread Pop Tarts. I'm not usually a big fan of Pop Tarts, but I love gingerbread and though they'd be a fun treat. Sadly, Target had no gingerbread ones anywhere. I ended up in a bad mood because they were also clean out of several other things that I had planned on buying. I really hate it when I go to a store and they don't have what I'm looking for in stock. It's been happening way too much to me lately. Even though I had Little Dude with me I decided to go to Walgreens since I needed some iron supplements and wanted a broader selection. They did have some iron supplements that promise to be gentle on the tummy (we'll see), but no Pop Tarts either. By this point all I could think about was gingerbread and Pop Tarts. So I decided to push the limit with Little Dude and take him to Smiths. Alas, no gingerbread Pop Tarts either. I talked myself out of buying gingerbread cookies by remembering my tasty gingerbread muffin recipe and so came home to make some muffins instead. I started crying a little when I opened the cupboard and realized that I didn't have very much molasses left. Thankfully it was enough for half a batch of muffins; instead of half an egg I just used the white and they were acceptable. Since I have now used the word 'gingerbread' about a million times in this post I will give you the recipe:
Gingerbread Mini Muffins
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup molasses
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 tsps. grated lemon peel (optional)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream
Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add molasses and egg and beat just until combined. Mix together flour and spices; mix half the flour into dough, then sour cream, then remaining flour mixture. Pour into mini muffin pans and bake at 375 for about 12-14 minutes.
These are great plain, but if you want to make them fancy you can either drizzle with a little cream cheese frosting or serve them with orange marmalade or lemon curd.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Remembrance Day
During the summer before my senior year of high school my family moved to Maryland. Shortly after we arrived, the stake had youth conference. Our service project took us to Arlington National Cemetery to clean areas that were covered in leaves and dead branches. The area I was in had acres of graves from soldiers that had died in the Civil War. Many of them didn't even have a name, just "unknown" and sometimes an indication of which state they came from. The experience was sobering, knowing that in just one day thousands of people died at one time. Many of their families never saw them again and never knew what happened to them. The same thing has happened in countless wars since. Even though technology has changed and many more soldiers who now die are accounted for, every death is still a tragedy. Though I truly believe that those who die are never lost to God and will see their families again some day, I also look forward to a day when no one will have to die in war again. As I remember all my family members who have served in the military I also think about those who did not make it home and remember them too.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Home Sweet Home (Almost?) (Maybe?)
This afternoon Mr. Fob and I spent several hours hanging around our new home (we hope) with the home inspector and the real estate agent. The inspection went well, and though the home is a bit old it doesn't have any major problems. It gave me some time to really get a feel for the place and I noticed that it's easier to notice flaws when you're spending more time than a quick walk-through with an agent. For the first little while I did feel a little worried about the things I didn't like; we've moved so much during the last few years that I'll admit I've developed a habit of focusing on all the negative aspects of our homes in an effort to not repeat those mistakes. After a while of hanging around and visualizing where everything will go in my new kitchen I realized that I do like the place even if it isn't perfect. Not only that, but it will be ours and we can change some of the little things we don't like. Now we just have to get the bank to get around to sign off on it; my fingers and toes are crossed. The nesting instinct is starting to kick in and I really hope we can settle in there soon.
Monday, November 09, 2009
I am thankful for the library
Tonight for Family Home Evening we talked about Thanksgiving and made a little 'gratitude turkey' where we wrote on the feathers which things we were thankful for. Little Dude even did his feathers without any help by drawing his fire truck bed, his special rock box, and his family. He also mentioned that he was thankful for the library. Then while we were brushing teeth S-Boogie told us that at school today she wrote that when she grows up she wants to be a librarian because she loves books and she loves the library. I'm sure part of this was prompted by the fact that Monday is library day for the kids, and their dad is a librarian (even though he's not working there full-time right now). But I'm glad my children love the library even though neither of them can read on their own yet. I can't wait until they start picking out their own books to read all by themselves.
I can also say that I'm truly grateful for libraries. I've spent countless hours there during my lifetime and read hundreds (maybe thousands?) of library books. Tonight I went back by myself to browse (looking for my own stuff when I'm there with the kids is a disaster) and I was reveling in all the things I could get. I am thankful for libraries in general and particularly for my local library, which is one of the best around.
I can also say that I'm truly grateful for libraries. I've spent countless hours there during my lifetime and read hundreds (maybe thousands?) of library books. Tonight I went back by myself to browse (looking for my own stuff when I'm there with the kids is a disaster) and I was reveling in all the things I could get. I am thankful for libraries in general and particularly for my local library, which is one of the best around.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Uninspired
I didn't realize how difficult it would be to post every day here on the blog. Hopefully next week I'll start thinking of interesting things to say. Part of the problem is that Little Dude has been having sleep issues. He keeps waking up in the middle of the night completely freaked out and screaming. It takes forever to get him back to sleep. Not fun. And I'm just tired of being pregnant right now. Hosting Mr. Fob's big birthday bash was a lot of fun, but it really wiped me out. I'm still exhausted today and my hands keep swelling (if I'm still feeling weird tomorrow then I'll go into the doc and have them check things out; swelling is not something that usually happens when I'm pregnant).
So hopefully tomorrow I'll have more interesting things to say. Next Sunday I have to give a talk about being 'steadfast and immovable', so if anyone has good ideas I could use some inspiration. For right now I'm just going to get myself to bed.
So hopefully tomorrow I'll have more interesting things to say. Next Sunday I have to give a talk about being 'steadfast and immovable', so if anyone has good ideas I could use some inspiration. For right now I'm just going to get myself to bed.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Three Realizations For Today
1. I really like hosting parties and cooking for people, even when it does take me all day. I'm really looking forward to having a home with a better kitchen that is more equipped for entertaining.
2. Hosting a party when you're almost 7 months pregnant isn't really the best idea. I kept going through the day, but now I'm exhausted and my hands and feet are swelling up. Looks like I might have to put off some of my bigger holiday plans until next year.
3. My brain is divided into two parts: irrational and rational. The rational part believes my doctor and the ultrasounds and trusts that chances of something bad happening again are slim. The irrational part freaks out about every little twinge and pain. It could be a long twelve weeks from here on out.
2. Hosting a party when you're almost 7 months pregnant isn't really the best idea. I kept going through the day, but now I'm exhausted and my hands and feet are swelling up. Looks like I might have to put off some of my bigger holiday plans until next year.
3. My brain is divided into two parts: irrational and rational. The rational part believes my doctor and the ultrasounds and trusts that chances of something bad happening again are slim. The irrational part freaks out about every little twinge and pain. It could be a long twelve weeks from here on out.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Does pregnancy make you crazy?
Last night we watched The Office, and I realized that one of the jokes being brought up lately is the fact that Pam is crazy because she is pregnant. I asked Mr. Fob if I should be insulted or if I should laugh, because it is unfortunately true. This time around it's been nice to experience pregnancy without the added stress of school, but we still have had the endless rounds of sickness and issues with buying a house. Not to mention the fact that I'm beginning to have trouble sleeping anytime except during the middle of the day when my children need me. I think those things alone give me the right to be a little crabby, but I've also noticed that in general my emotions seem to be a little 'off' lately. I just feel a little off-kilter. If you've been pregnant, did it make you crazy too?
Learning How to Parent
There are a few girls in S-Boogie's class that have started stopping by after school almost every day to ask if she can come play with them. Up until now I have always put them off with excuses (and we've been busy or sick a lot for the last few weeks). Today, however, we were outside playing in the driveway when they stopped by so she finally got to play with her friends. The ironic thing is, she hasn't been at school for the past two days because she has been running a fever. This afternoon her fever was mostly down and the weather was nice so I thought it would be fine for her and Little Dude to get outside for a while. I'm glad that it turned out that we could have her friends play too.
I don't know why I feel so socially awkward with a bunch of six-year-old girls. I'm not comfortable with S-Boogie running around and playing with them, but I'm not sure why. I think it's because I have some self-doubt; am I the only one who doesn't want her first-grader wandering the neighborhood? Some of the streets are kind of busy, and I don't know these girls parents at all (I think one is in our ward but I know the other two aren't). I am a lot more comfortable with play dates where I've arranged them with the parents and I know (more or less) what we're getting into. That being said, I'm also not sure if I should invite the kids into my house when the weather gets colder. I would if I had made prior arrangements with their parents and I have no idea if their parents are all right with them coming in my home. Of course, their parents are apparently OK with them wandering the neighborhood every afternoon so they probably don't mind.
As you can see, I'm not sure what to do about the situation. It brings up a lot of my social anxieties, both with kids and adults. It brings up the guilt I feel that I'm sheltering my child too much and that as a mom I'm going to ruin her social life. It brings up the uncomfortable fact that I am a bit of a snob and can be uncomfortable about people who come from different social classes than I do. And it brings up the fact that I don't like kids very much, and though I generally like my own I'm still not a big fan of other kids (which leaves me with the options of either letting my daughter go around unsupervised or supervising other kids I don't know very well). Sigh. I'm probably thinking about this too much. For some reason parenting keeps leaving me with the same old feeling that everybody else has 'the rules' figured out and I don't.
I don't know why I feel so socially awkward with a bunch of six-year-old girls. I'm not comfortable with S-Boogie running around and playing with them, but I'm not sure why. I think it's because I have some self-doubt; am I the only one who doesn't want her first-grader wandering the neighborhood? Some of the streets are kind of busy, and I don't know these girls parents at all (I think one is in our ward but I know the other two aren't). I am a lot more comfortable with play dates where I've arranged them with the parents and I know (more or less) what we're getting into. That being said, I'm also not sure if I should invite the kids into my house when the weather gets colder. I would if I had made prior arrangements with their parents and I have no idea if their parents are all right with them coming in my home. Of course, their parents are apparently OK with them wandering the neighborhood every afternoon so they probably don't mind.
As you can see, I'm not sure what to do about the situation. It brings up a lot of my social anxieties, both with kids and adults. It brings up the guilt I feel that I'm sheltering my child too much and that as a mom I'm going to ruin her social life. It brings up the uncomfortable fact that I am a bit of a snob and can be uncomfortable about people who come from different social classes than I do. And it brings up the fact that I don't like kids very much, and though I generally like my own I'm still not a big fan of other kids (which leaves me with the options of either letting my daughter go around unsupervised or supervising other kids I don't know very well). Sigh. I'm probably thinking about this too much. For some reason parenting keeps leaving me with the same old feeling that everybody else has 'the rules' figured out and I don't.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Searching, Searching
I use sitemeter to keep track of visits to my blog, and one of the more interesting things to look at is searches that people use to get here. It provides an interesting snapshot of what people are thinking about, and what my blog is about. Not surprisingly a number of them are either looking for something to do with the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" and another significant portion are looking for some sort of wallpaper in general (I've even seen a search for 'poop wallpaper'; not sure what that's about). Some recent ones that have led people to my blog include:
"shouldn't have gone to grad school"
"Gentlemen Without Weapons" (wow, someone else has heard of them!)
"I left my heart in San Diego"
"how never to shop at WalMart again"
"music is my life wallpaper"
"what's a soapbox"
"shouldn't have gone to grad school"
"Gentlemen Without Weapons" (wow, someone else has heard of them!)
"I left my heart in San Diego"
"how never to shop at WalMart again"
"music is my life wallpaper"
"what's a soapbox"
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Now I'm not the only thirty-something around here
Today is Mr. Fob's big birthday: three decades old! I celebrated by being cranky all day and the kids celebrated by making a giant mess that involved throwing all of their clothing down the basement stairs ("why?" you ask--because they are children and do these kinds of things). To be fair, I did make a small cake and I took the kids to Target to buy him some small gifts (bubble bath and action figures). His sister also took him to the movies. We're having a big party on Saturday so I will make a real cake then and try to make an effort not to be too cranky. I realized today that the pressure I put on myself to have birthdays feel 'special' usually ends up resulting in my not doing anything because I feel stressed about perfection. I think Mr. Fob had a good day anyways so that's what counts. I've tried to think of thirty reasons why he is so awesome, but I'd rather spend my time watching Heroes and eating cake, so here are a few things I've thought of recently:
He is very neat and clean in the bathroom. Lately Little Dude has expressed interest in learning to pee standing up, and his daddy has not only taught him how to do it but also how to wipe the toilet clean and return the seat to its proper place. Thanks for teaching our children good habits!
Mr. Fob is the Halloween costume master. We were a little lazy this year with the kids, but he still made me a cool shirt to wear. I'm not big into Halloween so it's fun to be married to someone who is enthusiastic about the holiday.
Mr. Fob is a hard worker and has been dedicated to every job he's held since we've been married. Some of them were not as great as others, but he still put in his full effort and didn't slack off. Even now when I go to the library I feel kind of famous because everyone who used to work with him likes him so much.
He is very neat and clean in the bathroom. Lately Little Dude has expressed interest in learning to pee standing up, and his daddy has not only taught him how to do it but also how to wipe the toilet clean and return the seat to its proper place. Thanks for teaching our children good habits!
Mr. Fob is the Halloween costume master. We were a little lazy this year with the kids, but he still made me a cool shirt to wear. I'm not big into Halloween so it's fun to be married to someone who is enthusiastic about the holiday.
Mr. Fob is a hard worker and has been dedicated to every job he's held since we've been married. Some of them were not as great as others, but he still put in his full effort and didn't slack off. Even now when I go to the library I feel kind of famous because everyone who used to work with him likes him so much.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Give it Time
Today at the library I ran into someone from our former ward here in Orem. We lived there for three years, and I was the primary president for much of that time, so we knew quite a few people there. I've actually run into several people since moving back and it's fun to see them, especially since their children all seem so huge to me (and mine do to them also). I realized as I was driving home that my calling made a difference in how involved I felt in that ward, not to mention the fact that it was about half the size of this one.
For the last month or so I've been feeling frustrated with going to church. I still have a strong testimony, but adjusting to a new ward has been rough. I have trouble remembering people's names; I'm also tired and crabby and have spent too much time focusing on what other people aren't doing (introducing themselves to me) and not enough time focusing on what I could be doing (introducing myself to them). As things have moved toward buying a house and moving out of the ward I've even started to comfort myself a little with the fact that I can start over fresh in a new place. And then things started changing. Yesterday a member of the bishopric came over to ask me to give a talk; that didn't happen in my last ward since I didn't fit the pattern of married couples giving talks, so I was pleasantly surprised (plus it will apparently be an all-women sacrament meeting so it won't be awkward at all). I didn't tell him that it might be a farewell talk because we still don't know what our plans are. Then today a woman who lives nearby invited S-Boogie over for a playdate with her daughter. I'm still feeling awkward and like I don't know anyone, but there are a few people whose names I know and who greet me each Sunday. I just need to remember that it takes time to get comfortable in a new place. Too bad we might be uprooting again and having to do it all over. Only in Utah is a two-block move this dramatic.
For the last month or so I've been feeling frustrated with going to church. I still have a strong testimony, but adjusting to a new ward has been rough. I have trouble remembering people's names; I'm also tired and crabby and have spent too much time focusing on what other people aren't doing (introducing themselves to me) and not enough time focusing on what I could be doing (introducing myself to them). As things have moved toward buying a house and moving out of the ward I've even started to comfort myself a little with the fact that I can start over fresh in a new place. And then things started changing. Yesterday a member of the bishopric came over to ask me to give a talk; that didn't happen in my last ward since I didn't fit the pattern of married couples giving talks, so I was pleasantly surprised (plus it will apparently be an all-women sacrament meeting so it won't be awkward at all). I didn't tell him that it might be a farewell talk because we still don't know what our plans are. Then today a woman who lives nearby invited S-Boogie over for a playdate with her daughter. I'm still feeling awkward and like I don't know anyone, but there are a few people whose names I know and who greet me each Sunday. I just need to remember that it takes time to get comfortable in a new place. Too bad we might be uprooting again and having to do it all over. Only in Utah is a two-block move this dramatic.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
It's NaBloPoMo Again!
November is National Blog Posting Month (or NaBloPoMo). I did this last year and managed to post nearly every day, so I decided to try it again this year. Lately I've been worried about how much time I waste on silly things, particularly time online, but I feel that blogging can be a productive part of my life so I'm still going to commit time to it. Now I need to cut out the stupid, time-wasting stuff like researching cruise lines for the vacation we hope to take five years from now. Today I posted a book review on Northern Lights so I'm going to let that count as my 'real' post for today (this is just filler). We'll see what this month brings: we've got Mr. Fob's big three-decade birthday, our anniversary, Thanksgiving, and hopefully buying a house and moving. Should be interesting.
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