The big six two

So Taylor just had his birthday. We celebrated with yummy chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream. He got some money to save for "the chair", a cot, and some new work slacks. Very exciting stuff. Plus technically the Jazz game counted as a birthday present as well.

We had cake and ice cream the night before. The day of he got home from work a little early so we did presents and had a delicious kabob dinner. Then a great friend took the boys for a couple hours so we could get out and have some fun before Scouts. (Same great friend picked up the present of pants. Thanks! You're wonderful!)


One of my favorite parts was James putting a "bow" on the cot. He was trying to tie this long ribbon he found in the present box around the cot. This conversation proceeded...

Me: Do you need some help?
James: No, this is a boy job.

Then when he was done he proclaimed, "Dad is going to be so happy. He will be so happy we got him presents."

And he was.

Accurate? Or no?

What Kristi Means

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Stress Reliever of the Day

Guess we can't have it all. According to this post no matter what we do our houses can never look like model homes. Glad I can stop worrying about that.

...maybe just one room. That no one is allowed to go in. And has no book shelves because that would really complicate the decorating scheme...

Family Fun

A couple weeks ago I took the boys down to the Houston Museum of Natural Science with some friends. On Tuesday afternoons admission is free, so it was a perfect time. They both loved the dinosaurs. We enjoyed walking through a science exhibit with some experiments to try. Another highlight was the African Animal display with tons of animals that had been stuffed. Matthias loved the monkey of course!!





Then yesterday we took the boys to the zoo. The weather was perfect (65, cloudy, rainy) so all the animals were out and doing. The baby giraffes kept racing across their enclosure towards the fence. It was really funny and somewhat nerve racking to have a giraffe running right towards you! The monkeys were the highlight with all their yelling and screaming. It was SO funny watching this one set of monkeys hollering at the top of their lungs for at least 15 minutes...the noise was carrying all through the zoo. One of the coolest animal experience I have had! Unfortunately we did not get a video because we have been to the zoo so much we didn't figure we'd want the camera. (Thanks Gma and Gpa Harvey for the zoo pass!! We have used it four times already.)

On the way home Matthias was doing a little dance in his car seat. Taylor said, "I don't understand how anyone would choose to not have kids. They don't realize how much of life they are missing." I agree. I wouldn't trade my boys for anything. They make my life the joy and wonder that it is. I love them!

Got Breast Milk?

Turns out I do. Look what I found in the freezer today:


Freezing breast milk in ice cube trays is an ingenious idea I got from a friend. Guess Matthias' missed out on a couple of good ounces. And the date there is referring to Feb 07, not 08.

Maybe I should clean out my freezer...

Egg Carton Singing

The boys and I love singing Primary songs together, so I made an egg carton into a singing game. We used a 18 egg count carton and print out primary songs really small on paper and then glue one song into each hole. Put in a penny or small toy, shake it up, look inside to find out which song to sing. The boys love it so much we made another one. You can have a lot of fun with 36 Primary songs!

(I got this idea from a friend.)

Journal Writing

I recently read an article in the Ensign titled My Journal, My Testimony which has inspired me to write a journal. As in a real journal and not my cop out blog excuse I have been using. The blog is great for recording family happenings and events. It is an excellent (and cheaper) alternative to a scrapbook. Plus I am a blog addict, plain and simple.

However, the blog is poor for recording my thoughts on long term decisions we are contemplating, personal spiritual experiences/revelation, and also feelings and goals related to my current life. Mostly motherhood, but also a relatively new wife and a church member.

Now if I am honest with myself I know I will not sit down everyday and write...with pen and paper. That is way to old school for me. Although through most of college I wrote in my journal daily, which is super fun to read now, I just don't do that anymore. So a more practical alternative? I am starting a new blog. My private journal blog that is invite only. And I am the only invite. (well, and Taylor knows my gmail password (but will not give it up even under torture, so you can forget that thought)).

A brilliant plan? Of course. I will start today and everyone knows my addiction to blogging. I want a record of the lessons I learn each day as a mother and how I work to improve. Something that may help my children in the future and will definitely help me now. A record of the thoughts and impressions that come to my mind and the many blessings I receive from the Lord. For a couple years in college I wrote down 4 highlights each day. I can now look at those words and remember vividly experiences related to each highlight.

So, thus I once again embark on a journal writing adventure. Wish me luck!

Earth Day

Oh yeah, for Earth Day I meant to say I am finally switching to reusable grocery bags like I have been wanting to for a while. (I will probably make mine) And also to vinegar as my cleaner of choice. Cheap and safe for toddlers. Oh, and we didn't drive anywhere today. As in me and the boys. Taylor obviously drove to work.

Stop global warming.

(while some of this post is mocking, most is real. I like the earth.)

Convenience

We recently obtained a free gift choice and Taylor insisted on me getting a stick vacuum. I knew I would use it and love it, but I just hate spending money for things I don't really need. Well, I love the vacuum and it works wonderfully and it sure beats sweeping under the table after every meal. So I guess for free it is worth the convenience. Plus since it is so small I can put the boys to work. Now that is worth it.

James Speak

James: I don't want Matt to have a bigger tummy than me. I want the biggest tummy.
Me: Do you know why Matthias has a bigger tummy? He eats more.
James: Then I will eat lots and lots and Matt won't eat anything.


Walking through Krogers
Me: Look for the marshmellows.
James: I will keep one eye out.
(When I look back he is walking down the center of the aisle holding his right eye shut with his right index finger and looking around with his left eye.)

Go Jazz!!

Taylor and I went to the Jazz/Rockets game last night and had a blast! Taylor told me I couldn't cheer or else we would get beat up, but we did a little cheering anyway. Until the end when it was pretty sure we would win...then we kept quiet.

I had just as much fun scanning the crowd for fellow Jazz fans/Mormons. (I know all Jazz fans aren't Mormon, but I am assuming most Jazz fans in Texas are Mormon.) We scouted out everyone wearing blue and then zoomed in with the binoculars. If they were holding a beer we assumed not a Jazz fan. And most of these guys put on red shirts (courtesy of Toyota) a few minutes later. We spotted about 20 or so. We were sorely misrepresented, but I guess that's what happens on the road.

We haven't been to a major sporting event forever and I forgot several things:

1. How fun it is to cheer
2. How mean people are to the opposing team
3. People actually do swear
4. Some grown women show an embarrassing amount of their bodies in public (I was literally blushing at some stuff I saw)

Wow. I really do enjoy my sheltered life.

Glad Taylor grabbed the tickets and we went down. We had a total blast and will try to make game 5. If there is a game 5.

Project Saturday

Some friends invited us camping this weekend, but we declined because of all the fun projects we had lined up. And here is the actual proof that we did them instead of just sitting around.

Taylor (with help from James) finished the swingset after a few months break. The boys can now sail away with their pirate wheel and keep cool (ha, ha) under the canopy. He's the greatest dad around!



I painted the wall again last night and this morning the orange door went back to white. Let me tell you, it looks much better. Our door just wasn't pulling off the orange thing. Pictures of the wall in previous post.

Matthias and I also ran to Target to purchase a vinyl mattress cover. James is going to underwear at bedtime after 8 nights dry. I'm such a lucky mom!

Now, as James says "It's time to rest and play." Then maybe Taylor will put up the new shelf for the garage. And I have Mother's Day gifts to start...

Fourth time's the charm

Finally after four colors of paint I present the color I was always dreaming of...


Plus a photo of the curtains for those who requested it.

Dish towel aprons

Last night I came across a dish towel I have been saving to make James an apron with and decided it was about time to get to work. I was staring at the dish cloth deciding how to proceed and decided, "ya know, today I choose to be lazy" so I jumped on the computer and did a Google search for "dish towel into child apron pattern" and chose this link.

(Now can I just put in an aside to express my love...obsession in Taylor's words...of everything Google. Best stuff invented.)

So after a little work this morning I produced these beauties. (Notice the pocket on Matthias'...very crafty.)



And of course I thought, what better place to try out this than on Matthias' apron. SO much fun. So much. Find an old dish towel and make an apron for your small child. And stencil something while you're at it. You will be glad you did.

James wanted to help stencil, so we did a regular old dish towel too with stars.

Our little gymnast

Move over Paul Hamm!

Yesterday at the park Matthias kept climbing these bars and then he would grip the top one, push his feet off the bar and drop down. He has really good arm strength and was able to catch his weight and hang there for several seconds. Then he would let go and head back for another round.



I have had many people comment on his amazing strength and especially climbing ability. Matthias is strong and an amazing climber. Along with eating and sleeping these are his top strengths. Well, and smiling all the time, and his hilarious laugh, and the monkey imitation he makes, and...okay, okay. As a mother I have a right to think my kid is the greatest right? And he is. Here is a video of him climbing to the top bunk about a month ago. Taylor is worried at the end it appears he gives Matthias a boost...he does not. Matthias does it all on his own, Taylor just moved in to be able to catch in case Matt fell. I'm off to find gymnastics for toddlers!

Super Saturday

My one and only project from Super Saturday...cheap and cute. Perfect.

Matthias Says

(I can hardly believe the time has actually arrived to start recording Matthias' funny sayings!!)

Me: What does a dog say?
Matthias: Woof.
Me: What does a cow say?
Matthias: Moo.
Me: What does a bee say?
Matthias: B-b-b (making the phonetic sound)

Apparently James learning his letters is rubbing off on Matthias!

James Speak (I forgot previously)

"Can I say capture or is it a bad word?" (Ah, the innocence of youth)

And he calls the place mats at the table "place maps".

James Speak

Me: You need to go potty when we get to the library.
James: I don't need to. I was hoping to not go potty all day.
(Now that he can go all night, why not all day?)


James: I don't like Dr. F (our previous doctor), I was thinking about going to Benjamin's doctor.


Me: Guys, I just need to cry. I'm stressed out and I need to cry.
James: Dad doesn't cry.


Also, James has taken to calling Matthias "Superman Matt" which is really cute.

Sweet-n-Sour Ribs

Having this for dinner tonight! Smells so yummy right now in my crock pot.

Dry Celebration!!

Most of you know James has been day trained for about 2 months. Well, since James was dry Saturday morning when he woke up, last night we told him if he stayed dry all night again he could have a prize. And he did! The prize?

Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast with whip cream! Plus some fresh strawberries and fresh pineapple. Yum.


If this keeps up we will only have to buy one set of diapers a month...think of all the wonderful possibilities for $25 extra a month.

Camping

We headed up to Huntsville State Park this weekend and had a great time camping!! We have been wanting to go since we moved here and finally made it. Friday night we set up camp and took a walk down to the lake. Then we made smores and talked by the fire. Thanks to some friends we had a six man tent (instead of our 3 man) and put the pack in play inside so Matthias went to bed at 8 and the rest of us stayed up until 10.

Setting up Camp:

Walk to Lake:

Around the Fire:

Taylor and I had a freezing night, but James was under 3 layers of sleeping bag (since he is short we folded his over) and Matthias never gets cold. He had no blanket and slept just fine. The temp only got down to 56 degrees, but I was super cold! James kept his diaper dry all night for the first time and I only had to pee once (a story for a more private audience).

Saturday morning we warmed up by the fire and headed on a hike. The first hike was just over one mile and the boys did great. Matthias did get carried most of the way back. Then we broke camp and headed to the nature center for a presentation on alligators. The boys got to pet a baby alligator! After that we went on a little walk (about 1/5 mile) and Matthias was pretty much tired out by then. We headed down to the lake to eat some lunch and play in the water.

The boys had a blast in the water, but Matthias ended up going down face first and was pretty cold and unhappy at that point. So we dried the boys and got in the car to visit a massive statue of the first president of our nation, I mean state...Sam Houston. Totally worth the small detour.


Then home. We had so much fun and hope to make it up again before the weather is too warm.

Quotes

"Satisfaction with your own knowledge keeps you from discovery."

"That's deep religion, real religion. It is completely internalized -- and most of that internalization takes place in childhood."
Orson Scott Card

"The face of sin today often wears the Halloween mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness and pain. You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that,"
President Thomas S. Monson

“There has never been a greater need for us to profess our faith, privately and publicly”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Master of the Mouse

James to me: "Can you make that (the cursor) touch the blue button? Good job touching the blue button!"

(While I am typing this...James: "Don't make a really long message!")

Getting Ideas

For Matthias' 2 year old quilt. Any help out there? I am probably going to just do some simple stripes...maybe add some bears. Appliqué or quilted? Maybe a fabric with bears on in?

My inspiration so far...




All brought to you by Pottery Barn Kids, who else? (But made by me at a fraction of the cost. =])

Stop subvocalizing!

I bet you're doing it right now...

Taylor and I have decided to learn to speed read.

Average readers (the majority of the population) read about 200 words per minute. Here is a speed reading test. I would suggest taking it when you know your toddler/preschooler will be sleeping/otherwise occupied. My current speed is 238 words per minutes, with talking in my ear, pulling on my arm, and papers put in front of my face. Although, if we're being realistic here I guess that's the speed I should really count. As it is the general atmosphere when I am reading.

After taking this test, I have been paying special attention to my reading and I am a major subvocalizer. By decreasing my subvocalization I have been promised a large increase in speed. Any other suggestions from fast readers out there? We'll keep you posted on our progress!

Just took another test that puts me between 300 and 350 wpm. I'm improving already!

p.s. Even I can excuse this mess...it just shows how much we all love reading!

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful

Conference was amazing as usual!! My personal favorites were Elder Nelson and Elder Ballard...for obvious reasons. But I just loved so many, they cannot all be mentioned here. Looking forward to the week ahead!

P.S. Since this whole post was only 67 words, I should have been able to type it all in less than one minute, right? How's that for blogging efficiency.

Orange, orange, and more orange

Loving these!! In Copper Canyon, of course. And half off.

Taylor called while I was checking out with new curtains for the toy room (since our paper blinds are not "proper" window coverings and are now on the HOA radar) and asked if they had some of 'our' color of orange.

Of course I took that as license to buy enough for the whole room! A definite step up from the much loved shower curtains. Yes, for anyone unaware, those curtains are in fact shower curtains. And I am not being sarcastic...we have loved those curtains. But it was time to move forward.

p.s. the wall color in the above link has been changed twice so far and is about to change once more...up to date pictures will be added.

Excellent Internet Finds

Yes, I have been a total blog slacker lately. Check out the following:

Taylor sent me this great article on motherhood and beautiful, wonderful kids. I still swear to Taylor I will never miss the messy eating, but some very good perspective. I miss my boys after a couple hours, so I know when they are all grown up I will be super sad! I really try to make every minute count!

75 words

Speed test

Reflections of Christ is a beautiful reminder of our Savior's love for us.

Apparently this is spreading throughout the Mormon blogging/email community, so I will do my part if you have not yet received this booklet for kids during conference. Looks fun!

Happy Conference watching!

Guilty as Charged

I can't take it anymore...I am a horrible liar and I have huge guilt issues. Big Fat April Fools!! I am totally, 100% joking. I am still NOT pregnant.

Before any of you think I am completely cruel though, I will have you know I called my mom to warn her it was all a joke. So I am only partially cruel.

Thanks for all your great comments! I'm glad you will all be so excited when I really am pregnant!

12 weeks down, 28 to go...

Turns out y'all were right in your suspicions...=] We are expecting. I am due October 14th. It is earlier than we were planning, but we are so excited! So this baby will be about 22 months younger than Matthias (the same distance between J and M)...although with my history they will probably be closer to 23 months. I really can't decide if I want a girl or a boy...I will put up a poll when it gets closer to 20 weeks so everyone can give my their imput. And no, I haven't felt nearly as sick this time as with the other two, so maybe it is a girl.

You are all great guessers...or maybe you are just suspicious of everyone? Jill, you were at least somewhat right. And as a disclaimer, I technically didn't 'know' I was pregnant when this post went up. So, bask in your rightness. And I will pretend I was at least somewhat convincing while lying to y'all the last couple months.