Too old for naps?

Three year olds are definitely too old to nap. But driving to church at 1:30 every Sunday can be really tiring. This is a common occurrence each week...



Makes for a much calmer Sacrament meeting because we can tag team Matthias. And boy does he need it. He could use three of us really.

Rise and Shine

(we woke up to this at 6:37am, coming from the crib...James climbed in with Matthias)

James: You say Dad and I will say Mom. MOM!
Matthias: Mom!
James: (exasperated) No, you say Dad. Say Dad.
Matthias: Dad.
James: MOM!!
Matthias: Mama!
James: No. You're the Dad guy.
Matthias: Dada!
James: MOM!
Matthias: Mom!

I tried to capture this on audio, but James was done trying to convince Matthias of anything and so this is all I got...(James is on the darker side, so you can't see him).

Book of Mormon

Sometimes I like surveys. Try this Book of Mormon survey. I thought it was fun.

Study up on some quotes first...

Watering

Yesterday afternoon was a lazy day. I sat, well laid, on the couch and watched the boys out the window as they played. They asked for swimsuits and then got out both hoses and went to work. They filled the pool, but I think only actually got in once. Then they filled buckets and put out the 'fire' on the picnic table. Putting out the fire took a good 30 minutes. After that the plants needed watering and about 20 minutes was spent watering the garden (mostly dead) and themselves. Watching them was quite entertaining. I didn't even read a book...I really just watched them out the window for an hour and a half. They make me laugh. I love my boys.

Aquarium

Saturday we went downtown to the Aquarium and had a great time! Tigers are my favorite and they have two white tigers who were SO beautiful! The boys loved taking a ride on the train which went through a shark tunnel. They also got to touch sting rays and see lots of different fish, snakes, and more fish! They had a really fun time. To finish off we had peanut butter sandwiches and the boys took turns on the carousel with Dad. Fun times!

Blueberries!

Bread

Finally remembered a picture...

This is the bread we had on Happy Harvey Day, June 13 (the anniversary of our engagement). A before and after.



Five minutes. So good.

Bay City

Two weekends ago we went down to visit our friends in Bay City. Taylor did his internship at Celanese down there and we made some great friends that summer. James was just 3 months old to 6 months old. We had a really fun summer down there and found our favorite pediatrician so far...too bad we only got to see her three times! The ward down there was so much fun with about 60 people attending each week. And we loved having the missionaries over all the time.

When we went down we just visited with our good friends, swam, and had a BBQ. It was a great time and James keeps asking when we can visit the big house far away again. Thanks for letting us come down!!

James Speak

James: Who are these people?
Kristi: We don't know them, I just read their blog.
(next blog I visited had a picture of Jesus)
James: There's Jesus. We know Him.


James gets up to go potty in the middle of that night and always has to use ours for some reason. (Just to make sure we're aware he is up probably.) So I help him on the toilet and go back to bed. Next thing I know Taylor is asking him what he is doing.
Kristi: He probably needs some help with his underwear and going back to bed.
Taylor: I already did that.
Kristi: No, he just went in. You must be dreaming.
Taylor: No. I already took him back to bed. I remember. (Turns out he was right.)
Taylor gets out of bed to get him, I keep laying there.
Taylor: What are you doing? Why are you up again and in our bathroom?
James: I thought it would be fun. (2 am folks)
Taylor: Well it's not.
Me giggling hysterically.


Kristi: Should we put Matthias in a bed now and save the crib for a baby?
James: Yeah, when another baby comes.
Kristi: Are you saying you think we need to go get a new baby?
James: No, it will come in your tummy.


James: Matt's a girl now. We have a boy and a girl.
Kristi: No, we still have two boys.
James: No. Matt, you're a girl.
Both boys commence giggling. When I told this story to Taylor he also laughed. Since when is calling your brother a girl funny for your brother and your dad? Honestly.

Welcome back

Last night I dreamed a police man was trying to clear my boys out of the road so the cars could drive by. I said, "that should be all. I only have two." At that James and Matthias started appearing around every corner, in trees, in the street, everywhere. Probably 50 or more of each. Two of the Jameses climb in cars and the cars started to drive away. About this point Taylor woke me up because I was whimpering in my sleep.

Because some Jameses were leaving? Or because I now had over 100 children? Now I distinctly remember I was crying because two of the Jameses were being taken away, but I can assure I would have been crying either way.

Now, lest any of you may think I have fallen off the end of the earth and into the dark non-blogging abyss, I give my alibi...

Since Taylor was at Scout Camp Monday through Wednesday I went hard to work cleaning my sewing area, my closet, and scrubbing the long neglected bathrooms (three weeks is pretty long here). I finally started binding a quilt I had been working on and started reading what turned out to be one of my new favorite books. Thinking I would blog when all was done.

Well Thursday rolled around and aches and chills started. By Friday night I had a high fever that stuck around until Saturday night at which point throbbing pounding head ache and swollen throat set in. My Father's Day gift to Taylor was a whole day spent with his boys! He did meals, naps, play time, even a load of laundry and a trip to the grocery store! And the house was clean at the end of the day. What a Super Dad!! I figure over the last 57 hours I have spent 36 of them sleeping. (the one wonderful aspect of being sick...everyone should spend one day a year asleep.) Besides sleeping I have also been FREEZING since about Thursday, which is I feeling I didn't anticipate experiencing again until at least January. It's really hot that long here folks. We run the AC in December.

But I have emerged and besides some lingering aches and swollen throat, feel okay. And I have so much to blog on...Bay City, Father's Day, Bad Poetry Night, more yummy bread, new books...

200 Have and Have-nots

We just read this on the Iverson blog, and thought it would be a fun thing to do together. This is a list of 200 things that we have or have not done. If you want to copy and do this yourself, you can just bold the items you have done. Since there are two of us, we're color-coding. Here's the key:

Green -- Taylor has done it
Orange -- Kristi has done it
Red -- We have both done it
White -- Neither of us have done it

Here goes:
200 Haves and Have Nots!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby’s diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game (Go Jazz!)
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t (this doesn't make any sense)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (a failing business)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play (off-Broadway counts, right)
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place (everywhere is historic)
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (go miniature golf!)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight (told people I weigh more than I do)
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a Neighbor Jane Payne newsletter

Self Sufficient

This past week has been a lot of fun and very rewarding. I finally got a hold of this book from my local library. And it did not disappoint. The authors are completely accurate in saying five minutes a day. My first batch was whipped up in 15 minutes flat. Over the next several days we had four loaves of bread, all taking 5 minutes each to prepare. And SO delicious. So good. We are trying another kind of bread currently and it is also very yummy and took the same amount of time. Very quick and very good. Can't thank Jill enough for the reference!!

I always meant to get a picture, but so far we have been eating the bread faster than I can remember. The other day Taylor went to get James some regular bread and James said, "No, I want the good bread." Totally worth your time to investigate and try!

Also this week a friend (and ward emergency preparedness specialist) honored my request to be taught, or I guess retaught, how to can peaches. Yesterday 6 or 7 women got together and spent five hours canning 48 jars of peaches. Yum!

It's times like these when I wish I lived 100 years ago. But then, how would I blog about it?

Score!

For those who know me, you may be aware that I am obsessive about my house being clean. Clutter especially causes me great anxiety. What some may not know is that I have not always been this way. In high school some of my friends claimed I was the most organized messy person they knew. My bedroom floor was piled a foot deep, but I knew exactly where everything was.

Well, old habits die hard and if anyone has been in my closet lately they will see a little of the old Kristi screaming to get free. However, I don't allow that piece of my past across the threshold of my closet. Oh, and in my nightstand drawer. As in the drawer is broken because I tried to cram too much stuff in it.

Here is everything that came out of the drawer, minus the large stack of recycling I already removed from the pile.


So, obviously I finally got around to cleaning out this drawer (since Taylor is now getting rid of his and I am transferring over to the unbroken one).

And what did I find? Three cards from wedding well wishers...$15 to Bed, Bath, & Beyond and a crisp $10 bill. Unfortunately I think the gift card is pretty shot, but $10 is still good anywhere, right? Maybe I will start sending out those thank you cards I never got around to...

The Dad Chair

Finally, after four years of wanting and several months of active looking, we came across "the chair". Taylor has wanted a chair by our bed pretty much since we got married. He likes to stay up at night to read and I like him to be by me when I go to sleep, hence the need for the chair. (Because Taylor doesn't read in bed...which is my favorite thing to do.)

We found his chair at The Dump in the clearance section. Perfect. A great color, the right height on the back, very comfortable, and a great price! It was already marked 33% off and then Taylor asked the lady if she could take more off. So we got it for 43% off regular price. It is pretty big in that corner, but is just what Taylor has always been dreaming.

Happy Birthday Taylor and Happy Father's day Dad!!