6 unimportant things about me.

I wanted to post some pictures with this, so check back and maybe I'll put some in later.

1.  I have a funny fingernail on my left index finger.  The dr. doesn't know why it grew that way but speculates that it could be from sucking on the finger in utero.  

2.  I bought a $5 bookshelf from Craigslist for Madison's birthday.  I want to paint it. Any advice?  (I've never been very crafty.  Maybe a pic here? Before and after?)

3.  Sometimes, when I am tired, I do really silly, crazy things.  OK, so that's a little embarrassing.  No pics.

4.  I need to go wake up my kids right now so that they will go to bed tonight.  But I soooo don't want to. 

5. I don't mind taking care (getting rid) of the spiders and bugs.  I can always wash my hands.

6.  I hate hate hate being too hot.  I don't really love being too cold, but at least I can bundle up.  There's only so much to take off, and even that doesn't alway do a lot of good.....

If any of you would like to share your unimportancies, I will comment on your blog!

Playing Catch-Up

These overdue pictures were taken during our July 4th holiday trip to Delaware (and Philly). 

Evie Foster, Grantucky, Connie Foster, Doug "I have a splendid gun collection" Foster.

The red-shirted hombre is Rich. It was his beach house that we stayed at. Although he rarely brings it up in casual conversation, he was actually voted "nicest man alive" in 1999, 2003, and 2008. Other notable characters in this photo are, left to right, Logan, Madison, Connie, Douglas, (Rich), Randy "Special Forces" Foster, and Kate Foster.

At first, Logan was deathly afraid of the water. That is, until we threw him out to sea. From then on, he loved it!

"Could you move that umbrella over . . . just a little bit more . . . yeah, right there. Thanks."

Actually, this was in Philly, but Jenny selected this photo to be included with this post, so I guess I have to caption it. Apparently, there's weren't any good pictures of me at the beach available.

We still have a ways to go in the art of building sand castles.

Madison and Douglas kayaking in the bay. Logan spent his entire trip with white knuckles gripping the gunwales. Contrastingly, Madison fell asleep.

See above.

In a gesture whose motives I'm still questioning, Jenny's family invited me to play "Find the metal plate in Joe's head." While Jenny's cousin Mark and uncle Randy counted to 1,000 at the ice cream shop, I was buried under 3 feet of sand. I'm glad they dug me out the next day.

Man, this sucks

So I'm about 3 hours into a rare stretch of bachelorhood that could prove unbearable.

To shake some monotony, Jenny and the kids left to PA to keep her mother company while Jenny's father and brother attended scout camp. "Great idea!" I told her when she first proposed the plan, thinking I could finally clean my car, catch up on some studying, and work some monstrous guilt-free hours.

Today, I left work when I finished what I needed to, rather than rushing to get home in time for family dinner (which rarely happens). When I got home, I flipped on ESPN. The only interruptions were the commercials. I geared up for the upcoming football season by watching some BYU highlights, without having to run upstairs to find out why Madison is out of her bed . . . again. 

But now what? There's no one to watch CSI with me. There are no children to tuck into bed . . . again . . . and again. The only mess in the house is mine. No one is asking me about my day, and no one is telling me about theirs (sorry for the number confusion, you grammarians). Logan is not here to recite to me a book Jenny read to him for the first time today. Madison is not here to model her rings and necklaces. And Grant is not here to throw up on me. But most of all, Jenny's not here to appreciate me cleaning the bathroom. 

I miss my family. 

Happy Anniversary, Jennifer

Four score and seven years ago . . . ok, lose the four scores, but keep the seven years . . . I made the greatest decision of my life. A few months earlier, I had made the worst--to get married in July in Mesa. But I certainly chose the right woman, and I've been eternally grateful ever since.

For those that need reminding, Jenny and I met in a Chinese class in college. When Jennifer walked into class that first day, I told her that the teacher assigned seats, and that her seat was right next to mine (or something like that). We first became friends. I was impressed with her beauty; she was impressed with my repertoire of 70's-era dance moves.

As the relationship developed, it was easy to see that Jennifer was unique. I was impressed because she was a surprisingly deep thinker (when you're in college, it's easy to get accustomed to superficial conversations, and thus think that everyone is superficial). She was also exceptionally considerate and had a huge heart (I'll resist this opportunity at self-depreciating humor). But most of all, Jenny possessed what seemed to me at the time the perfect mothering skill set.

So I decided to ask her to marry me. It was a beautiful spring day, and we had a picnic lunch on a deck sitting in the middle of a crisp mountain river. After eating, I dug into my backpack as if to bring out more food, but instead I retrieved a small black velvet box. I got down on one knee and gave a speech to rival any of Mr. Shakespeare's. And then I popped the question.

After some very tense seconds that felt more like hours, she made some kind of mumbling sound. I was honestly confused. So I followed up with a "was that a yes?" (Boy, I'm optimistic.) She confirmed that her answer was indeed in the affirmative. Great!

We decided to get married in August. During the early stages of planning the wedding, however, Jenny's boss in China (she lived there before we got married) called her and asked if she would go back for another semester. She kindly declined, and informed him that she was getting married in August. He countered with an offer to send us both to China if we would get married in July so that we could get there by the start of the semester. I needed little convincing. We bumped up our marriage to July.

And so about a month later, Jenny and I set off for China--the land, language, and culture that brought us to the same class a year earlier. It had been an interesting year, and one that culminated in the most important event of my life. But each successive year has not only reaffirmed my initial assessment that Jennifer was intelligent, compassionate, and motherly, but has introduced to me additional characteristics of hers that I had no way of knowing would be so beneficial.

I look forward to the next 7 years, and to the eternities beyond that. I couldn't have selected a better companion to travel them with.

Jennifer, Happy Anniversary!

Philly

Joe gets 7 days off a year--one of them is the 4th of July.  We had to do something special with this rare three-day weekend, so he took the 3rd off and we drove to Philadelphia to celebrate our nation's birthday.  There was TONS to do there, and next time we will be able to plan a little more to get in all the stuff we missed.  We were only there half of the day on Thursday and 'till noon on Friday.  Our hotel was right on Penn's Landing (where William Penn first arrived in PA).  Here's what we did on Thursday:

• Walked the shore of the Delaware River (there was a naval ship and some other old ships but we missed the tour by about 15 minutes).
• Took a ferry over to New Jersey, stepped out, and went back across the Delaware River.
• Walked downtown, ate dinner at a nice restaurant.
• Checked out Liberty Bell.
• Watched Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross get married. (The actors fell in love and had a live ceremony in front of Independence Hall.)  
• Listened to / watched Peter Nero and the Philly Pops play outside.  

Highlights of the day: the kids were great, but tired.  The couples sitting by us during dinner got a kick out of Logan sleeping while holding his pizza.  The Pops were fantastic...although we had to leave prematurely because Logan needed to go to the bathroom and all the bathrooms were closed.  The ferry ride probably got the highest vote this time.

Tune back in to find out what happened July 4th in Philadelphia!

Waiting to cross the Delaware River.

One of the old ships we didn't get to go on. 

Grant taking his first boat ride.  

Liberty Bell.  I'm sure we'll find it more fascinating next time.... maybe the kids will be old enough to let us read all of the history behind it.  :)

Waiting for the wedding and the concert.

http://media.bonnit.net/apimage/b2d49178-365e-4803-8ff8-94a604d26e70.jpg

Someone else's picture of the wedding.  Does posting the site mean I'm not breaking copyright laws?

Camping Trip June 27-28 (I think)

Ok, so we are way behind here.  My plan of attack is to do a post every other day or so until we are all caught up. 

Here we are making s'mores on a camping trip to Mosquito Lake... yep, we all came home with enough bug-bites to validate the rightness of its name.  We went with the Larsens.  It rained most of the time (hence the eating breakfast in the tent), but the kids still had a blast.  Grant was a stud and slept longer than he'd ever slept ('till 7:30 or so). Logan and Madison also were super at going to sleep, and even more super at getting up right before the sunshine.  All in all--I think we'll do this again.

My First Tag

I've been tagged!  I love learning about ya'll from these things and  it'll be fun to think back a few years....

20 years ago (1988):  I was 7 and lived in Phoenix, AZ.  I was terrified of something bad happening (still am) and would get up after everyone was in bed and check to make sure the doors were locked.  I would also ask my little brother if I could sleep in his room.  My sister was born that year.  And that's about all I can remember!  

10 years ago (1998):  I was 17 and getting ready to be a Sr. in High School.  I was training for cross-country in the fall.  Around this time I rolled a car while trying to clean off the dashboard (oops).  

5 years ago (2003): I was pregnant with Logan and getting ready to student teach English at Sugar-Salem middle school.  Joe and I had been married for 2 years and were finishing up college at BYU-Idaho.  Joe and I were primary teachers for the 6-7 year olds.

3 years ago (2005): We were living at WyMount (student-family housing at BYU).  I was pregnant with Madison, and hoping she would come early (she was late). Joe was getting ready to start his second year at the J. Rueben Clark Law School.  We were the Community Aides for quad 4 (like an RA, and we got a small discount from our rent).  I taught piano lessons for pennies and had 10 students.  Joe interned for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Salt Lake City and also researched for a teacher.  

1 year ago (2007):  Joe finished Law School, graduated, we put our stuff in storage and moved in with my family in PA while we looked for a home outside of Cleveland. Joe studied for the bar every chance he could get (usually at the local library). We bought a home, closed July 1 and moved July 2.  I found out I was pregnant with Grant (yes, it feels like I am always pregnant, and now I know why.  I'm always pregnant).  Actually, the kids and I went to my parents home the week before the Ohio Bar, Joe stayed at a hotel in Columbus the 23, 24, and 25 (the Bar Exam is 3 days) and I think I surprised him on the 23, by phone--just to give him the extra stress of having to pass so he could feed his 3 kids!  We drove to Texas for his sister's wedding, Joe started his new job August 13, and on August 15 Madison tipped a chair over and cut off the tip of her finger.  We found out Joe passed the Bar Oct. 26.  

Yesterday:  We got home from a camping trip, cleaned up, showered, napped, and went to Taylor Thuernagle's baptism.  Oh yes, and we got a letter in the mail saying Logan was accepted to the preschool by our home.  YAY Logan!  He is so excited, and so are we.  

Today:  We went to church--I am the primary music leader, and I love it!  Came home, took naps (we love naps), ate dinner together, and got lucky enough to walk for about an hour without getting rained on.

Tomorrow:  Same old... get up, get dressed, eat, clean up, do school with the kids (just a quick 30 or so min.).  Logan starts round 2 of swimming lessons at noon, my visiting teachers are coming at 2:00.  Dinner around 6:30 (we eat late in the hopes that Joe will be home from work by then).  Family home evening and back to bed again.

Next Year:  I hope we are doing about the same things.  Logan will be 5 and ready to start kindergarten.  Madison will be turning 4, and hopefully she will be attending the same preschool he is going to this year.  Grant will be 1 and walking.  I will hopefully be done taking the 6 credits I need to keep my teaching cert. current.   I hope we have many more happy memories.  I hope Joe learns to love his job a little more.  I hope to become a better wife, mother, person, and friend.  

So now I tag 3 people?  Hotsuho, Amy Gibson, annnnd Ammie Cannon.  

wHew! wHat A suMmeR!

YES, it has been a while! We've been using Joe's laptop from law school, and he turned it on a few weeks ago to the BLUE SCREEN of DEATH, which told us it was DUMPING the hard drive! We got it to work off and on for a few days, and then it said there was NO HARD DRIVE! It took a few days to order a MAC! and now we are re-learning how to use the computer. But that means we can BLOG!! So much has happened, so please excuse the many pictures and the quick recap.


As a family, we've:

• Gone to the zoo (pics below).
• Played outside in the warm (and cold) weather.
• Mowed our own lawn (first time in the seven years we've been married!)
• Planted our first garden, too!
• Been sick.
• Signed up for the library's summer reading program.
• Celebrated Father's Day.
• Slept through the night a little better (hooray!).

Logan:

• Is taking swimming lessons, and loves to swim... (He has been saying he wants to be a farmer for about a year now. On the second day of lessons he asked me if farmers could farm AND teach swimming lessons!)
• Continues to ask the funniest questions (like: why don't they make toilet seats that two people can sit on? Anyone?)
• Loves to learn. We just finished reading Charlotte's Web. Yes, he sat through the entire thing, wanted to read it, asked me continually if we could read more. I think he understood a good part of it.
• Really wants to go to preschool. Tryouts are on Thursday. Cross your fingers for him!

Madison:

• Plays in the baby pool during swimming lessons.
• Got her hair cut--about 6 or 7 inches. First time ever. She was very sad, but what do you do when your hair ALWAYS has food in it, you hate to wash it, and you scream when mom brushes the tangles out? She still looks beautiful.
• Got dad bubbles for father's day (see pic below). We all agreed it was the perfect present!
• Loves summer treats: popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, etc. She could have them more often if she'd eat her lunch and dinner....

Grant:

• Is 3 months old!
• Started sleeping through the night (well, 7-9 hours, between 4 and 6 a.m. I'll take it, though).
• Can roll from tummy to back.
• Had his first cold.
• Started batting at toys.
• Is officially the happiest baby.

Joe:

• Celebrated being the father of three. We love you dad!
• Is excited about growing basil.
• Is extremely busy at work, which is good because he's a hard worker, bad because we'd love summer even more with him around.
• Loves me a lot. :)

Jenn:

• Likes talking to the women at the pool.
• Is happier because she gets more zzz's at night.
• Can skip her own nap and read, play the piano, clean, scrapbook or WHATEVER (blog)! (see above)
• Loves Joe a lot.
• Is trying to do school more regularly with the kids.

HERE'S TO SUMMER AND FAMILY AND A GOOD TIME ALL AROUND!

My happy boy.

After the haircut, and the reason for the haircut (icecream sandwich).

The swimming pool is only 1 block away!

Dad blows his bubbles and the kids catch them.

The cards the kids made for father's day.

Trying to keep the sand in the box. haha.

Made straw necklaces in school. Madi's hair, still long.

Ice-pops better after running in the sprinkler.

It's so fun to hit the water with a bat!

Going to the zoo. Next time we'll remember to bring Benedryl for Joe when he starts to break out in a rash while visiting the gorillas! (True, it's true!)

Playtime.

What Grant does while we play outside.

Splash park.

Totally.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Last Saturday the Wardies got together to clean up the mess my children make in three short hours each week. It takes a village . . . .


Here Jenny, Allison and Brian Hatch scrub pews to remove ground-in Cheerios John Russell left behind. (And he has the audacity to blame it on Lexi!)


Logan: "Wow, Brother Muaina! These windows are so clean, you can see my entire handprints!"


I'm just going to pass on commenting on any photo with Bishop Harmon for fear of retribution.




Dave Latham and JJ Campbell herding the cattle.


Brother Williams explaining the secret to increased attendance at a Mormon function: Food.


Brother Lee has this smile on his face because he knows he'll be long gone before the next cleaning assignment rolls around.


No comment. (But I can guarantee you who is winning this one.)


Hey Savannah, I have a suit just like that.




"Listen, Isaiah, I have to sit you here on the 'naughty curb' because your mother didn't think that was very nice. But between you and me, I think it was pretty funny."

Who Needs Sleep?

She was supposed to be asleep. But...I heard the pitter-patter of little feet, and then some banging. I went upstairs to investigate, fully prepared to lecture a little girl out of bed. And I opened the door to this...





Wait, close-up of her "rings," a.k.a. ponytail holders.



"Madison!..." but that's all I could get out before I started laughing. (I think she was pretty relieved, too...)

Memorial Day Parade

Little late getting these posted, but we certainly wanted to document how excited the kids get for candy.

Waiting . . . waiting . . . .


Logan: "Who cares if he has a gun. He has CANDY!"


A full-masked fireman is probably not the most approachable candy-giver. Madison took a pass on this one.


Do you know how much perfectly good candy made it down that drain? What a shame.


Young Sarah Peterson hooking us up.


Madison tried to take a pass on this one, too, but Jenny made her face her fear of unnaturally tall patriotic ladies.


Unfortunately a flier is covering up most of the loot. Basically, Memorial Day is twice as good as Halloween: you get just as much candy, but don't have to wear a patch over your eye, walk around rich neighborhoods, and say "Trick or Treat!" (What does that mean, anyway?)