August was a busy month for us and a lot of things happened. The biggest happening was the return to school for Ethan and Noah. Ethan is in 8th grade and seems to be enjoying himself. He wrote a funny paper telling about himself for his language arts class - - some phrases were, "here are a few fun Ethan Garner facts," and "my brother Noah has Down syndrome with a side of alopecia," and "my family is equipped with the standard issue mom and dad." Not sure how I feel about being called "standard issue," but it was pretty funny anyway.
Ethan is doing cross-country this year, his first school sport. It requires a certain amount of effort on my part, because Noah's bus comes at the same time that Ethan finishes running, so I have to pick them both up from school every day. It's worth it though, and I'm very proud of Ethan for running, even when it's so humid and hot outside. I'm also proud of Ethan's work in scouts; he has earned enough merit badges to become a "star" scout (next is "life" and then "eagle.") He wants to get his eagle by the end of next summer, which would be great, because he'll only be busier once he gets into high school.
Noah is a big fifth-grader now. Somehow over the summer he grew taller and looks skinnier. I'm relieved he's so fit, because a lot of kids (and adults) with Down syndrome struggle with their weight. Luckily he has pretty healthy eating habits - - I don't know any other kid who likes V-8 as much as he does!
We recently took Noah in for an MRI (under anesthesia) of his lower spine. We go back to the doctor tomorrow to discuss the results. We're trying to discover the reason for his lack of sensation in his . . . bowels. Just another step in the long long road to continence.
Noah did 2 weeks of extended swim/play camp at the beginning of the month. He is really fearless about getting in the water, and I hope we can continue to work on his swimming skills. He was really excited about our annual DS picnic, but on the day it was held he got a high fever and Scott had to take him home. Ethan and I stayed and had a great time. I'm still writing the bi-monthly newsletter for our group - - I really enjoy my association with the good people that volunteer.
Scott has been traveling like crazy, he's gone this week from Monday to Friday. When I told him I missed him he said, "do you miss me or my help with the kids?" I had to admit it was a little of both. I don't know how single mothers do it! But Scott is very helpful when he is home and allows me some "me" time. He loves taking the kids swimming at the gym and they love to go with him!
Meredith is getting so big (literally - - she is off the charts for height!) She is at such a fun stage, learning new things all the time, toddling around everywhere, and babbling in her sweet little voice. She loves to sing along with music in the car and she has a funny little dance she does, too. She points at everything and says babble-words in an inquiring voice. I'm enjoying reading books to her and playing with her. She's also into everything, makes giant messes, and squawks when she doesn't get what she wants. But she's so cute that I just have to smile and give her even more hugs and kisses. Her bangs got so long that we finally trimmed them, she was looking like a sheepdog! Now her hair is a little more "styled." I love buying new clothes for her, still haven't gotten over the novelty of having my own little dolly to dress.
My own big news is that I've started a graduate program. I found an online one that I really liked - - it's a Master's in Liberal Studies with a focus on the Humanities at Fort Hays University. I have a lot of freedom and can take just one class a semester, which is perfect. I started my class on Monday and I'm enjoying it, even if I feel a little stressed out. I haven't done critical thinking and writing like this for a very long time. I'm also still learning how to use the online discussion board. But the topics are fascinating (the class is "Information Literacy: Applied Research for the Digital Age".) I have 2 exams, a 20 page paper, and weekly discussion questions. So it's a little overwhelming right now, but this is really something I've wanted to do for a long time, and in 5 years I'll be 5 years older whether I do it or not, so why not just do it?!
I'm super excited to go to Kyle and Linzi's sealing next weekend - - Scott is going to be watching the kids so I'll be free to hang out - - yay! Not that I don't love my little ones, but everyone needs a break now and then, right?
Love and miss you!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Turning 40
See my dedication?! I'm writing my family letter, even though I should be curled up into a ball weeping about turning 40. I guess I'll have to put that off until tomorrow.
Actually this has been a very nice birthday so far, and Scott is taking me out to dinner tonight, so that will be even better. The best present was picking Ethan up from camp, where he had been for almost 2 weeks. I missed him so much! It was a "Christian Youth" camp up at Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. The first week was spent at the huge campground there. The boys stayed in cabins (there were over a hundred boys Ethan's age) and did all kinds of activities: paintball, rock climbing, banana boating, swimming, archery, etc. Ethan said the food was great and he had a good time. I asked him about the church aspect of it and he said, "it made me so glad I was a Mormon because I went to chapel and I couldn't really feel the spirit." He said he was so excited to come home and go to church. One of his cabin mates had a good friend who was Mormon, and he and Ethan had some good talks about the church. Ethan said he did appreciate very much that there was no swearing or taking of the Lord's name in vain.
The second week was spent with 18 other boys hiking and canoeing all over Wisconsin. On the Tuesday Ethan crashed his bike into a tree and sprained his wrist pretty badly and got scraped up. (Of course when I saw him today with his wrist brace and scratches I felt terrible that I hadn't been there for him - - my poor baby!) He recovered ok, but had to miss out on the rock climbing, which was a bummer. The counselors were very nice and took him to the nurse so he was well taken care of. He made some great friends, and helped out a couple of boys that had special needs. I'm so proud of him, 2 weeks is a long time to be away from home, and the last week was pretty strenuous, but he toughed it out.
Noah has been going around today telling me, "Happy birthday . . . forty!" Well it is true, I am forty. Yikes! But what a great life I have, with a wonderful husband, 3 fantastic children that I adore, and great friends and family. I certainly don't feel 40!
Having a 1 year old is either aging me rapidly or keeping me young. Meredith is on the verge of walking well (she takes lots of steps, but also falls down a lot). And she is into everything! I just bought a gate for the basement so she can play without me constantly dragging her away from the stairs or other no-nos. She is a very happy girl, with an infectious laugh. Her hair is getting long, in fact her bangs hang into her eyes, but I don't want to cut them (I'm afraid I'll do a terrible job - - how on earth would I get her to hold still?) I put in barrettes, but she often pulls them out and then tries to eat them. She has suddenly gotten very picky about food, so we're trying to creatively cram fruits and veggies into her. She is a little bundle of fun and it's so great to listen to her babble. Still waiting on an official first word, but I have a feeling it will be "DAD" - - she sure loves her pop!
Noah finished up his day camp, but he has 2 weeks of extended camp coming up. Yesterday he went on a field trip to the zoo, his favorite place ever. He has become very helpful around the house - - when I ask him to pick something up or help me in some way he always replies, "okay!" or "of course!" and it is so sweet! While we were out in Idaho Noah spent 3 days and nights at "Camp River Run," a special camp for children with medical problems or special needs (most of the kids didn't have developmental delays, but they are expanding their camp to include more of them). Scott actually met the guy that runs the camp on an airplane and that's how Noah was invited to attend. It's a free camp and run by all volunteers. They did lots of fun things like fishing and horseback riding. They said Noah was great and not too homesick. He came back with two new phrases: Camp River Run and Wild, Wild West! I'm so grateful for the wonderful people who choose to work with individuals with special needs. Noah has been so blessed with wonderful teachers and helpers, who continue to inspire me with their patience and love.
While Noah was at camp, Scott and Meredith and I flew up to Spokanne, Washington, and then drove to Sand Point, Idaho, where our friends John and Cynthia have a beautiful summer home. It's right on Lake Pend Oreille, and it is truly lovely. They are such generous people, and it was so restful to be there. We ate out a couple of times, put together a fun puzzle, played Trivial Pursuit, and Cynthia and I made a fantastic pie to enter into the summer pie making contest. They were very accommodating of Meredith too, which was lovely. I wish we could have stayed for a month!
The rest of our Idaho trip was much too short, but lots of fun. I actually had to fly out a few days late because of a bad sinus/ear infection (I have learned my lesson about flying with a stuffed head - - I have had times where I truly feared it would explode in some way!) So Scott, amazing man that he is, flew out earlier with all 3 kids! They attended the Garner family reunion, as well as the mission farewell of Scott's nephew Nate. I'm so grateful for Ethan's wonderful Garner cousins and their good examples to him!
I flew into Idaho Falls on a Sunday, the same day Scott and the kids drove to Sugar City (and also Meredith's 1st birthday!) She got 2 parties and cakes! I can't believe my precious baby is already one! Wow has the past year flown by. She is so darling, taking little wobbly steps and babbling so sweetly. She claps her hands and pats me on the arm when I'm holding her. Everyone comments on her constant smile and cheery disposition. She is such an angel! I can't believe how lucky we are to have her in our lives.
We had a great time visiting in Sugar City. Dad took the cousins to Craters of the Moon, which was great. He also tried to take Ethan and Milena to cave falls, but unfortunately the cave was closed. But Ethan and Beanie had a great time anyway. Heidi and I took all the kids swimming for several hours. It was wonderful to see everyone and hang out and talk. Thanks so much for the hospitality and the birthday gifts for Meredith! I wish so much we could have stayed longer!
Ethan stayed with Scott's brother Mike and his family while we were in Sand Point. He had a lot of fun swimming and hanging out, and maybe even learned to do a little bit of manual labor by digging holes for irrigation lines. It's awesome to have family on a farm (and with animals) because it gives the kids such a different experience when they get to visit.
I'm writing the rest of this post the day after my birthday, so I can tell you how wonderful it was. Scott had arranged to take me out to dinner, but I didn't know he'd also arranged a surprise party for me at the restaurant! When we got there I saw a big table full of people, all with their menus covering their faces, and I knew something was up! It was so much fun and I felt so loved! There were thoughtful gifts and a beautiful cake, decorated by my talented friend Michelle, and best of all such a nice feeling of love and friendship. It was one of the best nights I have had in a long time. It was great! And Scott also got me a Kindle (electronic reader), which I have tried out and really love! It can hold thousands of books, and will certainly change travel for me, since I will no longer have to carry and extra suitcase just for reading material. What a great and thoughtful husband! So turning 40 wasn't bad at all - - thanks to my sweet brothers and sisters for their happy wishes. I'll return to favor when you all turn 40 (it's coming sooner than you think!!!!!)
Actually this has been a very nice birthday so far, and Scott is taking me out to dinner tonight, so that will be even better. The best present was picking Ethan up from camp, where he had been for almost 2 weeks. I missed him so much! It was a "Christian Youth" camp up at Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. The first week was spent at the huge campground there. The boys stayed in cabins (there were over a hundred boys Ethan's age) and did all kinds of activities: paintball, rock climbing, banana boating, swimming, archery, etc. Ethan said the food was great and he had a good time. I asked him about the church aspect of it and he said, "it made me so glad I was a Mormon because I went to chapel and I couldn't really feel the spirit." He said he was so excited to come home and go to church. One of his cabin mates had a good friend who was Mormon, and he and Ethan had some good talks about the church. Ethan said he did appreciate very much that there was no swearing or taking of the Lord's name in vain.
The second week was spent with 18 other boys hiking and canoeing all over Wisconsin. On the Tuesday Ethan crashed his bike into a tree and sprained his wrist pretty badly and got scraped up. (Of course when I saw him today with his wrist brace and scratches I felt terrible that I hadn't been there for him - - my poor baby!) He recovered ok, but had to miss out on the rock climbing, which was a bummer. The counselors were very nice and took him to the nurse so he was well taken care of. He made some great friends, and helped out a couple of boys that had special needs. I'm so proud of him, 2 weeks is a long time to be away from home, and the last week was pretty strenuous, but he toughed it out.
Noah has been going around today telling me, "Happy birthday . . . forty!" Well it is true, I am forty. Yikes! But what a great life I have, with a wonderful husband, 3 fantastic children that I adore, and great friends and family. I certainly don't feel 40!
Having a 1 year old is either aging me rapidly or keeping me young. Meredith is on the verge of walking well (she takes lots of steps, but also falls down a lot). And she is into everything! I just bought a gate for the basement so she can play without me constantly dragging her away from the stairs or other no-nos. She is a very happy girl, with an infectious laugh. Her hair is getting long, in fact her bangs hang into her eyes, but I don't want to cut them (I'm afraid I'll do a terrible job - - how on earth would I get her to hold still?) I put in barrettes, but she often pulls them out and then tries to eat them. She has suddenly gotten very picky about food, so we're trying to creatively cram fruits and veggies into her. She is a little bundle of fun and it's so great to listen to her babble. Still waiting on an official first word, but I have a feeling it will be "DAD" - - she sure loves her pop!
Noah finished up his day camp, but he has 2 weeks of extended camp coming up. Yesterday he went on a field trip to the zoo, his favorite place ever. He has become very helpful around the house - - when I ask him to pick something up or help me in some way he always replies, "okay!" or "of course!" and it is so sweet! While we were out in Idaho Noah spent 3 days and nights at "Camp River Run," a special camp for children with medical problems or special needs (most of the kids didn't have developmental delays, but they are expanding their camp to include more of them). Scott actually met the guy that runs the camp on an airplane and that's how Noah was invited to attend. It's a free camp and run by all volunteers. They did lots of fun things like fishing and horseback riding. They said Noah was great and not too homesick. He came back with two new phrases: Camp River Run and Wild, Wild West! I'm so grateful for the wonderful people who choose to work with individuals with special needs. Noah has been so blessed with wonderful teachers and helpers, who continue to inspire me with their patience and love.
While Noah was at camp, Scott and Meredith and I flew up to Spokanne, Washington, and then drove to Sand Point, Idaho, where our friends John and Cynthia have a beautiful summer home. It's right on Lake Pend Oreille, and it is truly lovely. They are such generous people, and it was so restful to be there. We ate out a couple of times, put together a fun puzzle, played Trivial Pursuit, and Cynthia and I made a fantastic pie to enter into the summer pie making contest. They were very accommodating of Meredith too, which was lovely. I wish we could have stayed for a month!
The rest of our Idaho trip was much too short, but lots of fun. I actually had to fly out a few days late because of a bad sinus/ear infection (I have learned my lesson about flying with a stuffed head - - I have had times where I truly feared it would explode in some way!) So Scott, amazing man that he is, flew out earlier with all 3 kids! They attended the Garner family reunion, as well as the mission farewell of Scott's nephew Nate. I'm so grateful for Ethan's wonderful Garner cousins and their good examples to him!
I flew into Idaho Falls on a Sunday, the same day Scott and the kids drove to Sugar City (and also Meredith's 1st birthday!) She got 2 parties and cakes! I can't believe my precious baby is already one! Wow has the past year flown by. She is so darling, taking little wobbly steps and babbling so sweetly. She claps her hands and pats me on the arm when I'm holding her. Everyone comments on her constant smile and cheery disposition. She is such an angel! I can't believe how lucky we are to have her in our lives.
We had a great time visiting in Sugar City. Dad took the cousins to Craters of the Moon, which was great. He also tried to take Ethan and Milena to cave falls, but unfortunately the cave was closed. But Ethan and Beanie had a great time anyway. Heidi and I took all the kids swimming for several hours. It was wonderful to see everyone and hang out and talk. Thanks so much for the hospitality and the birthday gifts for Meredith! I wish so much we could have stayed longer!
Ethan stayed with Scott's brother Mike and his family while we were in Sand Point. He had a lot of fun swimming and hanging out, and maybe even learned to do a little bit of manual labor by digging holes for irrigation lines. It's awesome to have family on a farm (and with animals) because it gives the kids such a different experience when they get to visit.
I'm writing the rest of this post the day after my birthday, so I can tell you how wonderful it was. Scott had arranged to take me out to dinner, but I didn't know he'd also arranged a surprise party for me at the restaurant! When we got there I saw a big table full of people, all with their menus covering their faces, and I knew something was up! It was so much fun and I felt so loved! There were thoughtful gifts and a beautiful cake, decorated by my talented friend Michelle, and best of all such a nice feeling of love and friendship. It was one of the best nights I have had in a long time. It was great! And Scott also got me a Kindle (electronic reader), which I have tried out and really love! It can hold thousands of books, and will certainly change travel for me, since I will no longer have to carry and extra suitcase just for reading material. What a great and thoughtful husband! So turning 40 wasn't bad at all - - thanks to my sweet brothers and sisters for their happy wishes. I'll return to favor when you all turn 40 (it's coming sooner than you think!!!!!)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
June
I can't believe the month is over! It's been busy and fun and full of mosquitos. We have had a lot of rain here, including some violent thunderstorms, and the mosquitos are worse than I ever remember them being. I've been spending a lot of time outside, too, because I've been working in the yard. There was a great sale on perennials at Lowe's and I went a little crazy buying plants. It took forever to get them all in the ground, but they look very nice! I think this is the best our yard has ever looked. Now I just have to keep it weeded . . .
Ethan finished up the school year with a bang, and stayed on the high honor roll. He had a couple of lazy weeks (although he'll tell you I badgered him to work most of the time) and now he's off at scout camp. I really miss him! Ethan is great company and we enjoy chatting and having "megafeasts" and watching Seinfeld or the Office. But I know he's having a fun time. The camp is a full week, and Ethan planned to earn several merit badges, including swimming, archery, tracking, and rifle shooting (!) At home we've been working on merit badges as well: medicine, dentistry, music, disability awareness, reading, and family life. Ethan is continuing with guitar lessons over the summer, and is volunteering as a "book buddy" at the library (he listens to a younger boy read and helps him out). He's had fun hanging out with friends and is looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer.
Noah had one week off (during which he missed school very much!) and then started NISRA summer camp (Norther Illinois Special Recreation Association). It's 4 days a week from 9:15 to 3:15. Twice a week he goes swimming, on Mondays he visits the library, and on Wednesdays he gets to go to McDonald's and order a meal. He loves camp! On Friday's he's signed up for some fun field trips. Last week he went with a group to a children's museum in Milwaukee. Noah is Mr. Social, so the camps are awesome for him. Today he didn't go to camp so he could attend the ward cub scout day camp instead. It was a really beautiful day, sunny but not too hot, and he swam and played soccer. We have great kids in our ward who really go out of their way to include Noah in the activities. It was so sweet to watch them let Noah kick the ball in soccer.
Noah is so funny, when he's at home he likes to set up a little work table for himself. He goes through reams of paper, writing numbers and letters and drawing funny little pictures. He has a little magnifying glass shaped like a megaphone that he uses as an inkwell - - it's a hoot watching him pretend dip his pen in it. Last week he set up his table with paper, pens, a magic wand, his plastic briefcase . . . and a nasal aspirator. Guess he wanted to be ready for anything!
Little Meredith is getting bigger and bigger (she'll be one in 11 days!) Her hair is long enough now that I can put a barrette in it! She has such a sweet temperment, and is always willing to give hugs to our friends. She's "cruising" (walking around holding on to things) and I'm sure she'll be walking very soon. She loves to get into things, open cupboards, and make messes. And everything goes in her mouth. I have a missing library book, and I'm beginning to think that she might have eaten it.
One of the adoption caseworkers has parents in our neighborhood (what a coincidence, right?!) and was in town this week. She's the one that was there when Meredith was born and watched her all day. She got to come over and visit and it was wonderful to see her and show her how big our baby has gotten. Hard to believe it's been almost a year, and yet I can't even imagine our life without her!
Scott is such a great dad. We honored him with some fancy chocolate and a nice father's day dinner (kabobs on the new grill). He's been travelling a lot for work and we sure miss him when he is gone! He went up with Ethan for a couple of days at scout camp and will be picking him up on Saturday. He's still playing tennis, and even gets free lessons from one of the pros at the health club.
I got to spend a night up at girl's camp last week (well actually they didn't have room at the cabin, so the yw pres. (Sarah Felsted) and I shared a hotel room, which was awesome!) It's a beautiful camp, more like a resort really, and if it's at the same place next year I'll go for the week! Sarah and I had lots of fun talking during the 3 hour drive up and back. We really have awesome young women in our ward, and it was beautiful to see how well they were all getting along. The theme this year was "superheroes" and our girls were the "wilderness adventurers" from the movie Up. They came up with some really cute things!
I'm staying busy driving kids to various activities and working in the yard. But I still make time to read and play word bubbles on lumosity.com (check it out, it's awesome!) And I'm working on applying to a graduate program in the humanities. Got to keep my brain from turning to mush. I should probably try to keep my body from turning to mush as well. I only have one more month of my 30s left, better make the most of it!
We're really looking forward to seeing everyone this summer in Idaho/Utah!
Ethan finished up the school year with a bang, and stayed on the high honor roll. He had a couple of lazy weeks (although he'll tell you I badgered him to work most of the time) and now he's off at scout camp. I really miss him! Ethan is great company and we enjoy chatting and having "megafeasts" and watching Seinfeld or the Office. But I know he's having a fun time. The camp is a full week, and Ethan planned to earn several merit badges, including swimming, archery, tracking, and rifle shooting (!) At home we've been working on merit badges as well: medicine, dentistry, music, disability awareness, reading, and family life. Ethan is continuing with guitar lessons over the summer, and is volunteering as a "book buddy" at the library (he listens to a younger boy read and helps him out). He's had fun hanging out with friends and is looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer.
Noah had one week off (during which he missed school very much!) and then started NISRA summer camp (Norther Illinois Special Recreation Association). It's 4 days a week from 9:15 to 3:15. Twice a week he goes swimming, on Mondays he visits the library, and on Wednesdays he gets to go to McDonald's and order a meal. He loves camp! On Friday's he's signed up for some fun field trips. Last week he went with a group to a children's museum in Milwaukee. Noah is Mr. Social, so the camps are awesome for him. Today he didn't go to camp so he could attend the ward cub scout day camp instead. It was a really beautiful day, sunny but not too hot, and he swam and played soccer. We have great kids in our ward who really go out of their way to include Noah in the activities. It was so sweet to watch them let Noah kick the ball in soccer.
Noah is so funny, when he's at home he likes to set up a little work table for himself. He goes through reams of paper, writing numbers and letters and drawing funny little pictures. He has a little magnifying glass shaped like a megaphone that he uses as an inkwell - - it's a hoot watching him pretend dip his pen in it. Last week he set up his table with paper, pens, a magic wand, his plastic briefcase . . . and a nasal aspirator. Guess he wanted to be ready for anything!
Little Meredith is getting bigger and bigger (she'll be one in 11 days!) Her hair is long enough now that I can put a barrette in it! She has such a sweet temperment, and is always willing to give hugs to our friends. She's "cruising" (walking around holding on to things) and I'm sure she'll be walking very soon. She loves to get into things, open cupboards, and make messes. And everything goes in her mouth. I have a missing library book, and I'm beginning to think that she might have eaten it.
One of the adoption caseworkers has parents in our neighborhood (what a coincidence, right?!) and was in town this week. She's the one that was there when Meredith was born and watched her all day. She got to come over and visit and it was wonderful to see her and show her how big our baby has gotten. Hard to believe it's been almost a year, and yet I can't even imagine our life without her!
Scott is such a great dad. We honored him with some fancy chocolate and a nice father's day dinner (kabobs on the new grill). He's been travelling a lot for work and we sure miss him when he is gone! He went up with Ethan for a couple of days at scout camp and will be picking him up on Saturday. He's still playing tennis, and even gets free lessons from one of the pros at the health club.
I got to spend a night up at girl's camp last week (well actually they didn't have room at the cabin, so the yw pres. (Sarah Felsted) and I shared a hotel room, which was awesome!) It's a beautiful camp, more like a resort really, and if it's at the same place next year I'll go for the week! Sarah and I had lots of fun talking during the 3 hour drive up and back. We really have awesome young women in our ward, and it was beautiful to see how well they were all getting along. The theme this year was "superheroes" and our girls were the "wilderness adventurers" from the movie Up. They came up with some really cute things!
I'm staying busy driving kids to various activities and working in the yard. But I still make time to read and play word bubbles on lumosity.com (check it out, it's awesome!) And I'm working on applying to a graduate program in the humanities. Got to keep my brain from turning to mush. I should probably try to keep my body from turning to mush as well. I only have one more month of my 30s left, better make the most of it!
We're really looking forward to seeing everyone this summer in Idaho/Utah!
Monday, May 31, 2010
May Flowers
It's hard to believe it's the last day of May! We're planning on having a picnic with some friends from the ward, as long as it's not raining. It really stormed this morning, but it's dry now, we'll see if it stays that way!
Scott is off playing squash with a friend, and the kids and I are having an enjoyable afternoon. Meredith is napping, Noah is coloring, and Ethan is playing a video game. I just love my kids! Here's what they've been up to lately:
Ethan turned 13 on May 16th. I can't believe I have a teenager! And so far it isn't as hard as I thought it would be! Truly, Ethan is a great kid. He has done so well in school this year, and is very self motivated. He wants to be a doctor when he grows up (specifically a "hospitalist," which is a g.p. who works in a hospital setting.) He has his college all planned out, and recently expressed his goal of getting straight As in high school so he can get good scholarships.
Ethan and I have started working on some of his merit badges. This summer is a good time to do them, because he'll only be busier once he starts high school. We're working on reading, dentistry, medicine, family life, music, and disability awareness. He's also got scout camp coming up next month, and he'll get a lot done there.
Ethan has done a lot of running in gym, and is getting pretty good! Maybe he'll take after Scott and do marathons someday. I hope he can be in cross-country in the fall, we'll see.
Noah is finishing off his 4th grade year with a bang. He has learned so much and done so well this year, I am really proud of him! He just brought a cute little "note" into me, with a picture of him and me and a spaceship. He's learning to write more, and speaks much more clearly. He and his friend Leah and I went to the movie "Shrek Ever After" and had a great time. He's signed up for summer camp and is really looking forward to it. We've worked very hard on potty-training during the last month, but unfortunately with little success. We're planning to take him to a specialist again, because there is definitely a physiological problem there! So wish us luck.
Meredith continues to grow into the most darling little girl ever! Her hair has gotten much longer and thicker. It no longer sticks up, which is kind of sad, but pretty soon I'll be able to put barrettes in it! I love dressing her up, although it's challenging, because she is a very wiggly little thing! She crawls very fast all over and get into everything (and puts everything into her mouth!) So I have to watch her very carefully. Scott loves taking pictures of her and we've got some really cute ones. The boys are so loving to their little sister! And she makes the sweetest little sounds all the time, I just love listening to her!
I recently read "Devil in the White City," about the Chicago World's Fair (and a serial killer who lived at the same time, in the late 1800s). Fascinating! I hosted book club and made devil's food cake in honor of the book. I really enjoy our book group. I also read "The Book Thief" and loved it - - Ethan is reading it now.
The mosquitos are out in full force, but it hasn't stopped me from planting my "garden" (three earth boxes with tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers that I grew from seed). I've also filled some of my flower pots and have several more to fill. Ethan is my helper with watering, and I sure appreciate it. I'm hoping to get a porch swing for the back patio so I can sit out there with Meredith and enjoy the sunshine!
Love you all!
Scott is off playing squash with a friend, and the kids and I are having an enjoyable afternoon. Meredith is napping, Noah is coloring, and Ethan is playing a video game. I just love my kids! Here's what they've been up to lately:
Ethan turned 13 on May 16th. I can't believe I have a teenager! And so far it isn't as hard as I thought it would be! Truly, Ethan is a great kid. He has done so well in school this year, and is very self motivated. He wants to be a doctor when he grows up (specifically a "hospitalist," which is a g.p. who works in a hospital setting.) He has his college all planned out, and recently expressed his goal of getting straight As in high school so he can get good scholarships.
Ethan and I have started working on some of his merit badges. This summer is a good time to do them, because he'll only be busier once he starts high school. We're working on reading, dentistry, medicine, family life, music, and disability awareness. He's also got scout camp coming up next month, and he'll get a lot done there.
Ethan has done a lot of running in gym, and is getting pretty good! Maybe he'll take after Scott and do marathons someday. I hope he can be in cross-country in the fall, we'll see.
Noah is finishing off his 4th grade year with a bang. He has learned so much and done so well this year, I am really proud of him! He just brought a cute little "note" into me, with a picture of him and me and a spaceship. He's learning to write more, and speaks much more clearly. He and his friend Leah and I went to the movie "Shrek Ever After" and had a great time. He's signed up for summer camp and is really looking forward to it. We've worked very hard on potty-training during the last month, but unfortunately with little success. We're planning to take him to a specialist again, because there is definitely a physiological problem there! So wish us luck.
Meredith continues to grow into the most darling little girl ever! Her hair has gotten much longer and thicker. It no longer sticks up, which is kind of sad, but pretty soon I'll be able to put barrettes in it! I love dressing her up, although it's challenging, because she is a very wiggly little thing! She crawls very fast all over and get into everything (and puts everything into her mouth!) So I have to watch her very carefully. Scott loves taking pictures of her and we've got some really cute ones. The boys are so loving to their little sister! And she makes the sweetest little sounds all the time, I just love listening to her!
I recently read "Devil in the White City," about the Chicago World's Fair (and a serial killer who lived at the same time, in the late 1800s). Fascinating! I hosted book club and made devil's food cake in honor of the book. I really enjoy our book group. I also read "The Book Thief" and loved it - - Ethan is reading it now.
The mosquitos are out in full force, but it hasn't stopped me from planting my "garden" (three earth boxes with tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers that I grew from seed). I've also filled some of my flower pots and have several more to fill. Ethan is my helper with watering, and I sure appreciate it. I'm hoping to get a porch swing for the back patio so I can sit out there with Meredith and enjoy the sunshine!
Love you all!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
April Showers
Scott has been a real traveling man lately. He is now working for a company called Open Mind, based in San Francisco. His job entails forming marketing partnerships with (mostly) travel based companies. Or something like that. Anyway it has kept him out of town quite a bit. And then he had the wonderful opportunity to go on a "Spiritual Retreat" to Israel with our friend John and some other men (2 of whom were ministers). He was gone for about 11 days and had a wonderful time. So that I wouldn't be too lonely while he was gone, we invited Heidi and her 3 kids to come and visit. 2 adults + 6 kids = one crazy household! But it was loads of fun. Although Rowan and Meredith are a little too young to play together, they did seem quite interested in each other. Meredith kept stealing Rowan's binkie and chewing on it. Meredith is quite a bit larger than Rowan, she really is tall for her age. Beanie was a huge help taking care of the babies and allowed Heidi and me to have some enjoyable "down time." Ethan had a great time teaching Beanie how to play ping pong, she got so good she almost beat me! The cousins played a lot of board games and Tallis and Milena enjoyed playing the Wii while my kids were at school. Noah was thrilled to have Tallis around to play with. He was so excited to see his beloved cousins!
On the Saturday Heidi was here we girded up our loins and hit the road for Milwaukee (minus Ethan, who had to do mulching to earn money for scout camp.) Thank goodness for my GPS, we had no problem getting there (it's about 2 hours away). First we went to the zoo, which was very nice, if a bit overpriced. The weather was just beautiful, and the babies behaved themselves very well. Noah was a bit difficult, but he does love zoos.
We had lunch at a nice greek place, good food and it was very quiet (which was good, because we were pretty noisy!) Then we went to the art museum. I'd never been there before, it was great! We saw a beautiful tryptich, some lovely paintings, and the highlight, "Woman with Veil" by Rafael, a response to the Mona Lisa. The exhibit was extremely well done. There was a very nice children's section as well, with information about 3-D imaging. The kids got to dress up and have their picture taken, very cute! It was a long and tiring day, but I'm so glad we did it! I love having so many wonderful museums, zoos, etc. so close to where we live!
The best part was having Heidi to hang out with and talk to and watch tv with and eat food with. I'm impressed with the amount of work she puts into her home-schooling - - I don't think I'd have the patience! But the program is an excellent one. I wish Heidi and I had been able to do some shopping together, but taking all of the kids was just not a great option. Maybe another time.
While Heidi was here I went through all of Meredith's clothes so she could take the outgrown ones to Beebs. It left me with very few clothes that fit! Meredith is just growing like a weed! She is such a sweet happy baby, and we're so glad to have her in our family. She has become quite noisy, making cute and funny squawks all the time.
Noah is undergoing intensive potty-training. His teachers are really working with me on this, which is super. I spent an inordinate amount of money on special training underwear (although they are worth it, I have to say) and a device called "Flippee the toilet protector" (don't ask.) He is doing a great job staying dry, but still has trouble with #2. Your prayers on his (and our) behalf are requested. Noah is a sweetheart, he came home from church today just filled with excitement because he had candy for me for Mother's Day. He's such a loving boy!
Ethan wrote a funny Mother's Day card for me - - "You have the hardest job with the worst pay, but the best perks." I agree. One of Ethan's teachers told Scott at parents' night that Ethan has a very sophisticated sense of humor. Sophisticated for a 7th grader anyway. Ethan does have a great sense of humor and I love chatting with him. I try to read all the books he reads so we can talk about them together. I can't believe he'll be a teenager in a week!
On the Saturday Heidi was here we girded up our loins and hit the road for Milwaukee (minus Ethan, who had to do mulching to earn money for scout camp.) Thank goodness for my GPS, we had no problem getting there (it's about 2 hours away). First we went to the zoo, which was very nice, if a bit overpriced. The weather was just beautiful, and the babies behaved themselves very well. Noah was a bit difficult, but he does love zoos.
We had lunch at a nice greek place, good food and it was very quiet (which was good, because we were pretty noisy!) Then we went to the art museum. I'd never been there before, it was great! We saw a beautiful tryptich, some lovely paintings, and the highlight, "Woman with Veil" by Rafael, a response to the Mona Lisa. The exhibit was extremely well done. There was a very nice children's section as well, with information about 3-D imaging. The kids got to dress up and have their picture taken, very cute! It was a long and tiring day, but I'm so glad we did it! I love having so many wonderful museums, zoos, etc. so close to where we live!
The best part was having Heidi to hang out with and talk to and watch tv with and eat food with. I'm impressed with the amount of work she puts into her home-schooling - - I don't think I'd have the patience! But the program is an excellent one. I wish Heidi and I had been able to do some shopping together, but taking all of the kids was just not a great option. Maybe another time.
While Heidi was here I went through all of Meredith's clothes so she could take the outgrown ones to Beebs. It left me with very few clothes that fit! Meredith is just growing like a weed! She is such a sweet happy baby, and we're so glad to have her in our family. She has become quite noisy, making cute and funny squawks all the time.
Noah is undergoing intensive potty-training. His teachers are really working with me on this, which is super. I spent an inordinate amount of money on special training underwear (although they are worth it, I have to say) and a device called "Flippee the toilet protector" (don't ask.) He is doing a great job staying dry, but still has trouble with #2. Your prayers on his (and our) behalf are requested. Noah is a sweetheart, he came home from church today just filled with excitement because he had candy for me for Mother's Day. He's such a loving boy!
Ethan wrote a funny Mother's Day card for me - - "You have the hardest job with the worst pay, but the best perks." I agree. One of Ethan's teachers told Scott at parents' night that Ethan has a very sophisticated sense of humor. Sophisticated for a 7th grader anyway. Ethan does have a great sense of humor and I love chatting with him. I try to read all the books he reads so we can talk about them together. I can't believe he'll be a teenager in a week!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Our Trip
I posted my pictures of this trip on facebook, so I'm not going to repost them here. This was our spring break trip to Europe.
Day 1
Sunday. After church we came home, frantically finished packing, and then took a late afternoon flight to Munich. Ethan and Noah and I sat together, and Scott sat with Meredith. She was the best traveler of us all - - not a peep out of her. She is such a happy little girl! We slept pretty well on the flight and arrived the following morning. Somehow all her diapers got packed with
Day 2
Monday. Usually after a long flight we like to head straight for a hotel, but today was a little different. The flight was the last one we took as non-revenue passengers, because our benefits expired April 1st. We wanted to leave earlier, but the flights were too full. So we had to shorten our trip just a bit. It worked out fine, but we were pretty tired and gross feeling by the end of the day! We got our luggage and picked up our rental car and then headed to Neueschwanstein Castle, about a 2 hour drive. The weather was great, sunny and cool (I don’t like it too hot, especially when we’re hiking around). Scott got a great little mini-van for us and we were able to fit everything in (amazing!) Noah sat in the far back with his backpack full of random toys. Ethan and Meredith sat in the middle row, and Ethan did a great job of looking after his baby sister. He was so helpful throughout the trip, I don’t know what we would have done without him. Scott and I sat in the front and used his Garmin (GPS) and the car’s navigation system and did a pretty good job of not getting lost. Even with the GPS I would have been terrified of driving all over (7 countries!) but Scott did great. Even on the autobahn, where cars were passing at incredible speeds. I did pound the imaginary brake a little bit, but Scott was patient with my back-seat driving, and I did help out a little bit looking for signs and things.
What a beautiful drive we had! In some ways I wish it had been later in spring, the grass was green and a few flowers were up, but not many. On the other hand there were much fewer tourists and the weather didn’t get too hot. I would love to go back sometime in late spring, though, to see the blossoms.
We parked at the bottom of a steep hill and then hiked up to see the castle. Our incentive for Noah was the possibility of seeing “the Beast” - - he just saw the Broadway show and was very excited about the enchanted castle. The views from the top were beautiful, and it felt great to stretch our legs after so many hours of sitting. We did a guided tour of the castle, which was built by “Mad” King Ludwig in the late 1800s. I was amazed at what great shape it was in. The murals on the walls were gorgeous. Ludwig was obsessed with Wagner and had several of the rooms painted to represent different operas, like Tristan and Isolde, Lohengrin, and Parsifal. Everything was quite ornate. King Ludwig may have been crazy, but he did build a very beautiful castle - - it was one of 3 he had built, and I would have liked to see the others. I was interested in learning about his life!
We got back in the car and drove on to Dornbirn, Austria.
Day 3
Tuesday. We got up, ate at the hote,l and drove to Appenzel, Switzerland. We were hoping to be able to see Sonja Elkuch, but she didn’t respond to our email. We loved the town though. We went to a couple of the most amazing florist shops I’ve ever seen (and you all know how much I’ve always wanted to be a florist). Easter is really big in Europe and the decorations were wonderful. In Switzerland, especially, the displays were so elegant and beautiful. We had a mediocre lunch (the Swiss aren’t known for their food, except for specialty items like chocolate and cheese, and everything is so expensive!) But we finished up with delicious gelato, a family favorite. And then Scott discovered a shop devoted entirely to cheese. It smelled so bad inside! Just like an old, forgotten baby bottle. But the cheese was very good and we all enjoyed our little snack, especially the boys.
We drove through Liechtenstein and took a few pictures, but really didn’t have time to stop and see much. I wish we could have seen the Elkuchs or Rudisuhlis, but maybe another time.
Day 4
Wednesday. Got up and checked out after breakfast. We first drove to Innsbruck, Austria, specifically to see the alpine zoo. Again, we had a lovely day. It rained just a little bit, but not enough to spoil our fun. Thanks to our portable DVD players, the kids were awesome in the car. Scott made some fun CDs to listen to as well. Anyway, the alpine zoo was pretty neat. It probably qualifies as the world’s steepest zoo, since it is basically built right into the mountainside. The specialty, of course, was alpine animals. They did have some farm animals too, and I took pictures of the goats, and a really ratty looking sheep. While I was doing that a cow mooed very loudly and scared Noah. He screamed and ran down the hill hollering and waving his arms. It was pretty funny. He has ridden elephants and a camel and not been fazed, but the cow freaked him out.
We saw some other fun animals, including a lovely brown bear. Noah just loves zoos, and it was a big bribe to keep him happy on the plane. We had lunch there in Innsbruck, and would have liked to spend more time there, it’s a cute little town. Our pizza was wonderful, best I’ve had in a long time. And of course we had to have some more gelato. A day without gelato in Europe is a wasted day, in my opinion.
We had to leave quickly in order to get to Balzano, Italy, before it’s natural history museum closed. There they have an exhibit of the world’s oldest man, Otzi. Ethan had learned all about him in school last year so it was very interesting to see him in real life (so to speak). He was found on the border of Italy and Austria (just barely on the Italy side). Extensive scientific tests have been done on him to show how he lived, what he ate, and what his life and death were like. Along with the mummy itself they have all of the clothing and tools found with him, as well as a fount of information about him. It was very well done, and only a little creepy.
We drove on into Italy and stayed in Padua (Padova). It took us longer than we expected to get there. We drove through miles and miles of tunnels, right through the mountains (the Dolomites). It was beautiful watching the sun set, but we were pretty tired by the time we finally got to our hotel!
The next day we went to Venice. Scott and I went 6 years ago and it was so romantic. Not so much with kids. It took forever to find the train station and park, and we’d decided to take the stroller, which was probably a mistake, since the streets are all cobblestone and there are a million stairs. It did help with Noah though, he got pretty tired of all the walking. Scott carried Meredith in our little baby bjorn and she did well. It wasn’t that fun though, because it was very crowded and I’d forgotten how much Italians smoke. And then it started to rain pretty hard. So it wasn’t the most fun day of the trip, but at least Ethan got to see Venice, and we did get some pretty great pictures. And of course we had gelato again.
more tomorrow . . .
Day 1
Sunday. After church we came home, frantically finished packing, and then took a late afternoon flight to Munich. Ethan and Noah and I sat together, and Scott sat with Meredith. She was the best traveler of us all - - not a peep out of her. She is such a happy little girl! We slept pretty well on the flight and arrived the following morning. Somehow all her diapers got packed with
Day 2
Monday. Usually after a long flight we like to head straight for a hotel, but today was a little different. The flight was the last one we took as non-revenue passengers, because our benefits expired April 1st. We wanted to leave earlier, but the flights were too full. So we had to shorten our trip just a bit. It worked out fine, but we were pretty tired and gross feeling by the end of the day! We got our luggage and picked up our rental car and then headed to Neueschwanstein Castle, about a 2 hour drive. The weather was great, sunny and cool (I don’t like it too hot, especially when we’re hiking around). Scott got a great little mini-van for us and we were able to fit everything in (amazing!) Noah sat in the far back with his backpack full of random toys. Ethan and Meredith sat in the middle row, and Ethan did a great job of looking after his baby sister. He was so helpful throughout the trip, I don’t know what we would have done without him. Scott and I sat in the front and used his Garmin (GPS) and the car’s navigation system and did a pretty good job of not getting lost. Even with the GPS I would have been terrified of driving all over (7 countries!) but Scott did great. Even on the autobahn, where cars were passing at incredible speeds. I did pound the imaginary brake a little bit, but Scott was patient with my back-seat driving, and I did help out a little bit looking for signs and things.
What a beautiful drive we had! In some ways I wish it had been later in spring, the grass was green and a few flowers were up, but not many. On the other hand there were much fewer tourists and the weather didn’t get too hot. I would love to go back sometime in late spring, though, to see the blossoms.
We parked at the bottom of a steep hill and then hiked up to see the castle. Our incentive for Noah was the possibility of seeing “the Beast” - - he just saw the Broadway show and was very excited about the enchanted castle. The views from the top were beautiful, and it felt great to stretch our legs after so many hours of sitting. We did a guided tour of the castle, which was built by “Mad” King Ludwig in the late 1800s. I was amazed at what great shape it was in. The murals on the walls were gorgeous. Ludwig was obsessed with Wagner and had several of the rooms painted to represent different operas, like Tristan and Isolde, Lohengrin, and Parsifal. Everything was quite ornate. King Ludwig may have been crazy, but he did build a very beautiful castle - - it was one of 3 he had built, and I would have liked to see the others. I was interested in learning about his life!
We got back in the car and drove on to Dornbirn, Austria.
Day 3
Tuesday. We got up, ate at the hote,l and drove to Appenzel, Switzerland. We were hoping to be able to see Sonja Elkuch, but she didn’t respond to our email. We loved the town though. We went to a couple of the most amazing florist shops I’ve ever seen (and you all know how much I’ve always wanted to be a florist). Easter is really big in Europe and the decorations were wonderful. In Switzerland, especially, the displays were so elegant and beautiful. We had a mediocre lunch (the Swiss aren’t known for their food, except for specialty items like chocolate and cheese, and everything is so expensive!) But we finished up with delicious gelato, a family favorite. And then Scott discovered a shop devoted entirely to cheese. It smelled so bad inside! Just like an old, forgotten baby bottle. But the cheese was very good and we all enjoyed our little snack, especially the boys.
We drove through Liechtenstein and took a few pictures, but really didn’t have time to stop and see much. I wish we could have seen the Elkuchs or Rudisuhlis, but maybe another time.
Day 4
Wednesday. Got up and checked out after breakfast. We first drove to Innsbruck, Austria, specifically to see the alpine zoo. Again, we had a lovely day. It rained just a little bit, but not enough to spoil our fun. Thanks to our portable DVD players, the kids were awesome in the car. Scott made some fun CDs to listen to as well. Anyway, the alpine zoo was pretty neat. It probably qualifies as the world’s steepest zoo, since it is basically built right into the mountainside. The specialty, of course, was alpine animals. They did have some farm animals too, and I took pictures of the goats, and a really ratty looking sheep. While I was doing that a cow mooed very loudly and scared Noah. He screamed and ran down the hill hollering and waving his arms. It was pretty funny. He has ridden elephants and a camel and not been fazed, but the cow freaked him out.
We saw some other fun animals, including a lovely brown bear. Noah just loves zoos, and it was a big bribe to keep him happy on the plane. We had lunch there in Innsbruck, and would have liked to spend more time there, it’s a cute little town. Our pizza was wonderful, best I’ve had in a long time. And of course we had to have some more gelato. A day without gelato in Europe is a wasted day, in my opinion.
We had to leave quickly in order to get to Balzano, Italy, before it’s natural history museum closed. There they have an exhibit of the world’s oldest man, Otzi. Ethan had learned all about him in school last year so it was very interesting to see him in real life (so to speak). He was found on the border of Italy and Austria (just barely on the Italy side). Extensive scientific tests have been done on him to show how he lived, what he ate, and what his life and death were like. Along with the mummy itself they have all of the clothing and tools found with him, as well as a fount of information about him. It was very well done, and only a little creepy.
We drove on into Italy and stayed in Padua (Padova). It took us longer than we expected to get there. We drove through miles and miles of tunnels, right through the mountains (the Dolomites). It was beautiful watching the sun set, but we were pretty tired by the time we finally got to our hotel!
The next day we went to Venice. Scott and I went 6 years ago and it was so romantic. Not so much with kids. It took forever to find the train station and park, and we’d decided to take the stroller, which was probably a mistake, since the streets are all cobblestone and there are a million stairs. It did help with Noah though, he got pretty tired of all the walking. Scott carried Meredith in our little baby bjorn and she did well. It wasn’t that fun though, because it was very crowded and I’d forgotten how much Italians smoke. And then it started to rain pretty hard. So it wasn’t the most fun day of the trip, but at least Ethan got to see Venice, and we did get some pretty great pictures. And of course we had gelato again.
more tomorrow . . .
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Marching Forth
I’m writing this from Dornbirn, Austria. I wanted to get it done before we left on our spring break trip, but we were just too busy. We’re having a lazy evening in our hotel, so it’s a perfect time to write. I’m sitting here in my room with Noah and Meredith (Ethan is in the other room). The rooms aren’t very big, but one whole wall is windows and the view is beautiful. Tree covered hills, green grass, and lots of white houses with red roofs. It’s lovely.
March started out wonderfully with a trip to Utah to visit Beebs. This was one of the few trips I’ve taken all by myself. It felt weird to just pack one tiny little suitcase. I missed Scott and the kids, but it was sure nice to fly solo! I had to check in 2 big bags (Mom and Dad’s old red luggage) filled with hand-me-downs from Meredith to Elise and a bunch of cute stuff I got on a huge sale at Children’s Place for Beebs and Heidi. Also a lot of the boys’ old clothes which fit Weston and Aidan.
I don’t know how Beebs juggles 4 kids, but she does it well! It was so much fun to see her! We went shopping and I bought Meredith an Easter dress. Beebs made about a thousand pancake balls for me - - she is such a great cook (also yummy Café Rio salad!) And we had fun just talking and watching “The Office.” Heidi came down on Friday night and the two of us and Milena went to the OneHeart concert in Provo. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much, music-wise, but it was fantastic! And thanks to Heidi’s celeb-status we had great seats. I had a blast and was also very touched by the pictures of orphanages. I feel honored to be peripherally involved in such a worthwhile organization! I’m in awe of all that Dushku does, and all that she and Heidi did to start OneHeart up. Great job guys!
Saturday was shopping day for Heidi, Milena, Rowan, Beebs, Elise and I. Boy are those babies sweet! Elise is such a little dolly, and Rowan is so good-tempered. Elise looked so tiny compared to Rowan and I missed how tiny Meredith once was. It was fun to watch Rowan’s progress because he’s so close in age to Meredith.
We had a fun lunch at Chik-fil-A, one of my all time favorites. Great food and wonderful service, and I love that they’re closed on Sundays! We don’t have them in Chicago, so it’s a tradition to go there when I’m in Utah. Then we shopped at several different places, including Target, where we wore bunny ears all around the store. Very mature. And our trip wouldn’t be complete without a trek to Costco. By the way, they now carry a type of almond snack called Mrs. May’s and they are so delicious!
Mom and Dad and Hilary and Uncle Adam came over for a while to Beebs’ house and it was enjoyable to talk to them. And Heidi and Beebs and I had so much fun playing cards and eating snacks and laughing (mostly at each other).
I was bummed that I had to leave Sunday morning before church, because I wanted to see Elise get blessed and visit more with family, but it was a good thing I did, because I had to fly through San Francisco and it took me all day to finally get home. I was so happy to see my boys and my baby! And I think Scott had a renewed appreciation for all the housework I do (I won’t mention the state of the house when I got there . . .)
The next week was my turn to play single parent, Scott had meetings in Arizona and St. Louis and then went to Paris (for fun) with our friend John. I would have been fine, except I caught a terrible cold (I think I got it from Dad!) After about 10 days of suffering I finally went to the doctor. He said my ears, throat, sinuses and 1 eye were all infected. If I’d waited to go in any longer they would have had to amputate my head! Ha ha. Poor Meredith and Ethan also were sick during the month. I’m so glad spring is finally here and we’ll hopefully all stay healthy for a while!
Scott’s parents recently were called to be leadership missionaries for 18 months in New Zealand! They are really excited to go, and we’re excited to visit them at some point. They came for a quick weekend visit in March and it was so nice to see them! We had an early Easter while they were there, just little fun baskets of goodies for the kids. It was especially nice to have Meredith’s first Easter - - we bought her some really cute little bunny ears! It was also the Pinewood Derby that weekend, so we got Noah’s car ready and went. As is traditional (for the past 5 years, anyway) I made the certificates, and also frosted cookies for the boys. Noah came in 2nd place (actually he tied) and we all had a great time.
Noah is doing well. He took a month of swimming lessons through NISRA and recently started Special Olympics track. In school they’ve been studying animals and where they live, which is right up his alley, since he loves animals so much. A recent favorite phrase is, “no way!” He says it when he thinks something is really cool. We all think Noah is really cool himself. Scott took him to Beauty and the Beast downtown and he said Noah couldn’t have been better-behaved. He was just perfect, and enjoyed every minute of it.
Ethan recently read a book about World War II and became very interested in that era. He also read a book that highlighted both world wars, and is now reading “The Pianist,” which is about a Jewish man who lived in German-occupied Poland. Ethan is a very thoughtful young man. He’s been really trying to show his maturity lately (because he wants a new video game) - - but it has been so nice! He is so willing to help out around the house and with Meredith.
Last Sunday Meredith fell halfway down the stairs before Scott caught her. So scary! It was especially traumatic for Ethan, and now he has appointed himself Meredith’s bodyguard. He sure loves his little sister!
And who wouldn’t love her. She is seriously the best-natured baby in the world. She is so cute, quite tall for her age and with less of a baby face now. She started creeping for about a week and then graduated to crawling. She loves to be active and aware of what is going on around her. Scott thinks she should be in the book of world records for best baby traveler. On our 8 hour flight to Munich she didn’t even fuss once. Somehow the diapers got packed in the checked bags and she had to use Noah’s pull-ups, but it didn’t faze her. She smiles continuously! We are so crazy about our little sweetheart!
March started out wonderfully with a trip to Utah to visit Beebs. This was one of the few trips I’ve taken all by myself. It felt weird to just pack one tiny little suitcase. I missed Scott and the kids, but it was sure nice to fly solo! I had to check in 2 big bags (Mom and Dad’s old red luggage) filled with hand-me-downs from Meredith to Elise and a bunch of cute stuff I got on a huge sale at Children’s Place for Beebs and Heidi. Also a lot of the boys’ old clothes which fit Weston and Aidan.
I don’t know how Beebs juggles 4 kids, but she does it well! It was so much fun to see her! We went shopping and I bought Meredith an Easter dress. Beebs made about a thousand pancake balls for me - - she is such a great cook (also yummy Café Rio salad!) And we had fun just talking and watching “The Office.” Heidi came down on Friday night and the two of us and Milena went to the OneHeart concert in Provo. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much, music-wise, but it was fantastic! And thanks to Heidi’s celeb-status we had great seats. I had a blast and was also very touched by the pictures of orphanages. I feel honored to be peripherally involved in such a worthwhile organization! I’m in awe of all that Dushku does, and all that she and Heidi did to start OneHeart up. Great job guys!
Saturday was shopping day for Heidi, Milena, Rowan, Beebs, Elise and I. Boy are those babies sweet! Elise is such a little dolly, and Rowan is so good-tempered. Elise looked so tiny compared to Rowan and I missed how tiny Meredith once was. It was fun to watch Rowan’s progress because he’s so close in age to Meredith.
We had a fun lunch at Chik-fil-A, one of my all time favorites. Great food and wonderful service, and I love that they’re closed on Sundays! We don’t have them in Chicago, so it’s a tradition to go there when I’m in Utah. Then we shopped at several different places, including Target, where we wore bunny ears all around the store. Very mature. And our trip wouldn’t be complete without a trek to Costco. By the way, they now carry a type of almond snack called Mrs. May’s and they are so delicious!
Mom and Dad and Hilary and Uncle Adam came over for a while to Beebs’ house and it was enjoyable to talk to them. And Heidi and Beebs and I had so much fun playing cards and eating snacks and laughing (mostly at each other).
I was bummed that I had to leave Sunday morning before church, because I wanted to see Elise get blessed and visit more with family, but it was a good thing I did, because I had to fly through San Francisco and it took me all day to finally get home. I was so happy to see my boys and my baby! And I think Scott had a renewed appreciation for all the housework I do (I won’t mention the state of the house when I got there . . .)
The next week was my turn to play single parent, Scott had meetings in Arizona and St. Louis and then went to Paris (for fun) with our friend John. I would have been fine, except I caught a terrible cold (I think I got it from Dad!) After about 10 days of suffering I finally went to the doctor. He said my ears, throat, sinuses and 1 eye were all infected. If I’d waited to go in any longer they would have had to amputate my head! Ha ha. Poor Meredith and Ethan also were sick during the month. I’m so glad spring is finally here and we’ll hopefully all stay healthy for a while!
Scott’s parents recently were called to be leadership missionaries for 18 months in New Zealand! They are really excited to go, and we’re excited to visit them at some point. They came for a quick weekend visit in March and it was so nice to see them! We had an early Easter while they were there, just little fun baskets of goodies for the kids. It was especially nice to have Meredith’s first Easter - - we bought her some really cute little bunny ears! It was also the Pinewood Derby that weekend, so we got Noah’s car ready and went. As is traditional (for the past 5 years, anyway) I made the certificates, and also frosted cookies for the boys. Noah came in 2nd place (actually he tied) and we all had a great time.
Noah is doing well. He took a month of swimming lessons through NISRA and recently started Special Olympics track. In school they’ve been studying animals and where they live, which is right up his alley, since he loves animals so much. A recent favorite phrase is, “no way!” He says it when he thinks something is really cool. We all think Noah is really cool himself. Scott took him to Beauty and the Beast downtown and he said Noah couldn’t have been better-behaved. He was just perfect, and enjoyed every minute of it.
Ethan recently read a book about World War II and became very interested in that era. He also read a book that highlighted both world wars, and is now reading “The Pianist,” which is about a Jewish man who lived in German-occupied Poland. Ethan is a very thoughtful young man. He’s been really trying to show his maturity lately (because he wants a new video game) - - but it has been so nice! He is so willing to help out around the house and with Meredith.
Last Sunday Meredith fell halfway down the stairs before Scott caught her. So scary! It was especially traumatic for Ethan, and now he has appointed himself Meredith’s bodyguard. He sure loves his little sister!
And who wouldn’t love her. She is seriously the best-natured baby in the world. She is so cute, quite tall for her age and with less of a baby face now. She started creeping for about a week and then graduated to crawling. She loves to be active and aware of what is going on around her. Scott thinks she should be in the book of world records for best baby traveler. On our 8 hour flight to Munich she didn’t even fuss once. Somehow the diapers got packed in the checked bags and she had to use Noah’s pull-ups, but it didn’t faze her. She smiles continuously! We are so crazy about our little sweetheart!
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