2.29.2008

Baby Care

Our neighbors Shayne and Stephanie (who put up with a lot from us--we love having such great neightbors!) sent us a funny email, "Instructions for Baby Care." As I scrolled down the 19 tips, I can honestly say we followed all of them but one. . . . I am just hoping Chris got some kick backs for posing for this picture. Oh well. I guess 18 out of 19 'aint bad . . .

2.28.2008

Fore!

So, I started a new class tonight-- and one that is only tangentially related to law school. I signed up for a beginning golf class way back in October or whenever it was that I registered for this semester, and have been debating ever since whether I would keep it because of time constraints, blah, blah. My first class session was for two hours this evening, and we spent the whole time talking about approaching the ball, learning a neutral, interlocking grip, setting up a square stance and club head placement. (Incidentally, I am no expert, but I think that the 9 iron I had was an inch too short for me--I felt really hunched over.) I am glad that I did not drop the class-- not because I think that I will have lots of time for this, but because I need new experiences to keep me from stagnating.

I don't know what it is about me that makes it so difficult to reach out to new experiences. It's been this way since I was little. I never learned to play a sport on my own initiative until I was a junior in high school-- and I loved it. I was, by no means, a consummate athlete, but I learned things about myself that year that are still cherished parts of who I am. I don't know when I identified my tendency to shy away from things that I don't already feel a part of, but it is something that I am slowly fighting against; I do better some times, and much worse than I would like to admit some others.

It's like this--and I hope that someone out there can relate--I somehow feel alienated from things that I feel no... possession of, even if I find them to be really attractive. It's like I have to be invited in to be a part of the club in order to feel like it is okay for me to get involved in golf, or sports, or new books, or student government, or scuba diving or Settlers of Catan, for crying out loud. I am trying to fight against the tendency to feel foreclosed from things that I have not tried before, but sometimes it is tough. It's like I feel resentment that I am left out of things that other people seem to enjoy, yet I have never made the threshold steps to become involved because somehow I feel like I just... can't. I don't like it, and I want to change it. Does anyone else ever feel this way? Maybe it is just me.

P.S. I cannot believe i just wrote a post with the tag, "feelings." I'm a guy for crying out loud!

2.26.2008

Poll Results

I appreciate all of you who voted on our poll last week-- I realize that the subject matter was a bit unorthodox, but I would like to use this space to talk about things that really get us thinking-- not just the things that come up when our brains are in neutral.

Last week's question, which was about what you think you would do and/or feel if one of your children revealed to you that he was homosexual, was not intended to really smoke out surprising results, but to get us all thinking about applications of our relationships and faith in situations that we would probably prefer never to be in.

The overwhelming majority of you (81%) would try to reassure your child that he was still loved, and almost as many (75%) said that you would be shocked and unsure of what to do. Only two of you (12%) said that you would try to talk him out of his choice of sexual preference, but the same number said that they would invite their son to bring his boyfriend to dinner. About half of you said that you would feel angry or betrayed (43%), and exactly half of you said that you would describe your reaction as "devastated."

I don't really have any scientific analysis to offer on the basis of these responses, but I have appreciated your votes over the last week because watching the poll results come in has kept me thinking about what I need to be doing now to protect my sons from the influences which prevent them from fulfilling their potential; and about how I need to respond when they will (like I did) do things to disappoint their parents.

I'll have a new question up shortly, I'm looking forward to seeing you weigh in!

2.25.2008

Watch a Movie!?

It really is more of a statement than a question. I think it's probably Ian's favorite (and most used) line. We are slowly trying to reasonably cap Ian's cinematic entertainment since Cooper was born and life went a little nuts. I really try to keep it to less than one movie/show a day. Though Daddy is much better at sitting down with Ian, relaxing together and making it a time to spend with Ian. They are also both much better than Mommy at getting mesmerized by the pictures on the screen! :) Cooper, on the other hand, looks a little bored; but I am sure it won't be long before I have both of them ganging up on me saying, "Watch a movie!" I am suddenly recalling something about men and the remote control . . . I am afraid I might be outvoted on this one.

We don't really watch much TV (which makes it quite frustrating that our 'lil setup's sound is freaking out on us; do we really want or need to spent money on a new TV? But it's hard not to admit it would be nicer to have a bigger screen to watch movies on . . . decisions, decisions). If the TV is on, it is usually a DVD for Ian or a few PBS shows, such as Ian's new favorite, Super Why! Which I have to admit is quite adorable. Especially when the "Hip Hip Hurray" song comes on at the end and Ian jumps up and excitedly asks me to join in. So Ian and I dance around the living room, having a great time. It just tickles me that he wants to do this; like the two of us are establishing some little rituals. The show also teaches good problem solving/work together skills (heck, I'm a therapist, I like it whenever I can find an application to teach social/emotional skills) plus it is helping Ian learn his ABC's. Ian says he is Super Why, Mommy is Princess Pea, and Daddy is the Pig (I think Chris is about sick of hearing about which animals Ian thinks Daddy resembles . . .). Super Readers to the rescue!

2.22.2008

What a Memory!

It is amazing to me how much Ian can remember; he's done this for a long time (like knowing which street to turn on to go to Grandie's house). This morning at breakfast he was telling me: "Kermit got hit by yellow car . . . went to the hospital . . . went to lunch. . . . He had hair . . . the girl and the bad man . . ." This may not make much sense out of context, but he was giving a great synopsis of the latter half of The Muppets Take Manhattan. We sure love this kid! He sure makes life absolutely HILARIOUS! Never a dull moment around here. :)

A Striking Resemblance

Thanks to Chris's mom, Chris and I went out on a date on Monday night. We went to Sushi Ya and had all-you-can-eat sushi (I have grown to like most kinds now, yay! I was so sad a few years ago when Robyn took me for the first time and I didn't like it . . . so just for the record, it can be an acquired taste!) Chris and I had a great just talking and enjoying each other's company. I had raw fish for the first time and actually quite enjoyed myself! My favorite were the Crystal Shrimp sushi. We even tried Tobikko (flying fish eggs) for the first time and decided that at least we can say we have tried it, but we are not big fans! A little too fishy for our tastes. After dinner we went to Borders and browsed for awhile. We ended up in the children's section and read a few stories (just so ya know, SkippyJohnJones is a hilarious book, especially when you do the voices). I hadn't seen the book Harold and the Purple Crayon in quite some time, but had a fun time looking through it again. That, and I decided that Cooper looks a lot like cute 'lil Harold! So if you've ever wondered what you would look like as a cartoon, you now have an idea of what Cooper would look like! :)

2.20.2008

Daddy Jungle Gym

Chris is great at playing with the boys. Ian gets a kick out of it and I love watching (I think I need to get in on the playing more often. I am grateful for a Daddy who loves his boys, love spending time with them, and loves being a Dad.
Don't mind Cooper's face; we are still working on his expressions.

Hooked on phonics worked for me!

In-fang-er

So this isn't meant to offend anyone who has ever mispronounced or misspelled our last name; It's kind of a daunting name to attempt; we applaud your efforts. Mostly, I find it hilarious, all the different things people come up with (ya'll are quite creative!) and decided that it would be entertaining for us to keep track of them over the years. I obviously have only been in on this for the last 5 1/2 years (though I have known Chris's sister, Val, since 7th grade and didn't think it was that weird of a last name). But going from my maiden name, Lamb, to Infanger, some adjustments have been necessary . . . I can't even count the blank stares and confused looks I get when people hear me say our name or try to read it from print. It is especially great over the phone; you have to be careful to say, "'F' as in 'Frank'" when spelling it, because often the "f" sounds like an "s" (which is totally true, I have a hard time with those sounds over the phone, too). Most of the time when I get these reactions from people I (no offense, Infangers) tell the person, no worries--5 years later and I am still getting used to it, too.

You'll have to come back and check this post from time to time, just to see our growing list. Here goes:

  • In-fag-ger (probably the worst yet; halfway through the semester of my Social Work statistics class, good 'ol Dr. Panos is handing back papers and pauses before he comes up with this . . . the funniest part is Chris's cousin Carries was in the class--her Mom is Rex's sister, so her maiden name was Infanger--and she gets totally irritated and practically yells, "It's In-fang-er!" at him. It was great!)
  • Indauger (Chris's Office Depot account)
  • Insanger (Hale Center theater tickets/mailings)
  • In-funj-er
  • In-fun-gur
  • In-fan-ger
  • In-finger
  • Enfanger
  • Iffinger
  • Infauger (this is how Chris was registered to vote in Provo)

A New Favorite

So I ate a whole bowl of candy today. For those who know me well--sweets aren't exactly my thing--so this may be a little shocking to some. Give me a bag of chips or popcorn or fries (or a salt lick, for cryin' out loud) and I am a happy gal. But I was recently introduced to a great sweet treat!
For those who, like me, had never previously seen, heard of, or eaten such a treat . . . meet Bridge Mix--a variety of raisins, peanuts, and almonds covered in milk and dark chocolate as well as milk chocolate pecans and cashews make up this chocolate bridge mix. Can I just tell you the cashew ones are to die for? A hint for other moms who hit the mid-day rush when lunch and naptime for multiple children are creeping far too quickly upon you: Bridge Mix is a great filler/pick-me-up until you actually have time to sit down and feed yourself. :p I guess for me this isn't a complete sweet treat, 'cause I also get my nut/salty fix. Best of both worlds, eh? Come to think of it, I guess I do like fries and Frosties and Kettle Corn. What can I say? My taste buds must have multiple personalities--Sweet and Salty must be good friends!

P.S. Sorry Chris, it is gone--I ate all that was left! (But at least now you know another treat you can bring home to me. He he!)

Cabin Fever, anyone?

I got this in an email today and thought it pretty much summed up how I am feeling lately: "'Cabin Fever: a state characterized by anxiety, restlessness, and boredom, arising from a prolonged stay in a remote or confined place.' I don't know about the rest of you, but I am ready for Spring and sunshine and the good old outdoors. Anybody else?" All I have to say to that is--Amen!

With a 2 month old and 2 1/2 year old that we have been trying to keep well, the days have been pretty long staying indoors. This morning I got out of the house with the boys for a dentist appointment and a stake Primary meeting. Not very exciting, but huge progress for me! I need to be better at planning more outings even if they are not actually outside! Any suggestions of places to go for such activities would be much appreciated! I think poor Ian is about sick of being indoors. That's just the problem--we don't want to get sick, so we've been pretty careful about where we go, with whom, and when, just to be safe--even if it is indoors. The dang germs! I am glad spring is getting closer--I am so excited to go out on walks with the boys (I really could use the exercise) and to play outdoors!! I love springtime! So my vote is--cabin fever move over . . . SPRING FEVER (n. a feeling of restlessness, excitement, or laziness brought on by the coming of spring) is here!

2.19.2008

No Inhibitions

Occasionally, I am brought to wonder whether we, as a society, tend to ignore obvious solutions to our problems simply because they run afoul of our social mores, manners or customs. I suppose that this tendency for members of a group to edit their behavior results in catch phrases like "thinking outside the box," et cetera.

Case in point: we sat down to dinner tonight to have some tomato soup, crackers and sandwiches (gourmet, I know-- but we did have some pretty killer chicken-lime-cilantro-cotija fajitas for lunch). Ian is a big fan of soup, but his small spoons do not hold much liquid and the large spoons are hard for him to get into his mouth while holding flat. So, he decided to take the straw out of his water and stick it in his soup so that he could eat it faster.

I was about to give him a hard time for taking his straw out of his cup (which we have asked him not to do because it generally results in a mess), when I was struck by the genius of what he was doing. I am proud of him for looking at the straw and seeing more possibilities than I did, but on a more fundamental level, I just get a kick out of him. I hope that he never outgrows the tendency to do something that is fun and smart regardless of whether it is normal!

P.S. When was the last time you saw a two-year-old polish off an entire bowl of soup in less than five minutes? I, for one, am not going to argue with success!

Night at the Museum

I have this whole week off from school for Spring Break. Evidently it is spring somewhere, but I haven't seen any crocuses around here yet. (Translation: I have a strong desire to wear sandals and frostbite in every toe.) In any event, it means that I am actually getting to see Jenny and the boys a little more than normal, and that is quite nice. I miss them when I am at school or work all day, and with another round of finals coming up, it is good to just relax and play with them. (Translation: I get to lay on the floor and play with Hot Wheels in my pajamas and people think that I am being a good father.)

We were going to go up to the Children's museum at the Gateway today-- but by the time that Ian got up from his nap, it just wasn't going to happen. We briefly thought about the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving point, but decided that we weren't really into spending $10 per person today. (Translation: we are cheap and poor). So, we decided to go to the Bean Museum, which has the twin virtues of proximity and frugality. (Translation: it is close and admission is free).

Ian actually got pretty nervous with some of the exhibits-- he wanted me to hold him a lot and he had a hard time looking at some of the bigger predators (the 11ft tall Kodiak Bear gave him a bad case of the Jibblies.) However, he got a big kick out of the Baboon, the fish dioramas and was ready, willing and able to give us his impression of a grizzly bear:
and he enjoyed looking at the cats with Jenny:

And he got a big kick out of some of the dioramas:
Of course, the museum had to have about a dozen hippos (it seems like), and so despite the fact that I tried to draw attention to Cooper, I was unsuccessful in preventing Jenny and Ian from remembering that I had recently been named a member of the Hippopotamus family. (Translation : I came home and finished off Jenny's Ben & Jerry's)

We were in the car on the way home and were talking about all of the animals we had seen. Jenny asked Ian which one was his favorite. His reply? "The dead one."

Poll Results

The poll results are in! 40% of you would support your local grocery store if they decided to start charging for their bags in order to encourage people to recycle or buy reusable bags. The rest of you are anti-social or cynical enough to dislike the idea, and two of you (my wife included) are warped enough to want to burn down a hippie in protest. All of these data can lead us to only one conclusion: We have weird friends!

Thanks to all of you who visit our site and vote on our polls-- we are having fun with this!

The poll that I posted this week is in a little bit different vein. I am not trying to be inappropriate or to offend, but I am working on putting up thought-provoking questions which do not have tidy, easy answers. This week's question does not arise from any specific set of circumstances (and I was just as surprised as anyone to see what the question was), but based on where societal influences are trending, describes a situation that will probably happen to at least an acquaintance of most of the members of our generation. I'd like to hear what crossed your mind when you read the question-- please post your reactions as comments.

2.15.2008

Sprouting a Personality!


Jenny has been a little ambivalent lately. She is torn between the fact that she loves it when babies are brand new, small and helpless, and the fact that she loves when babies start to sprout personalities, to become more active and interactive. Cooper is just making this transition right now and I know which one I vote for. I love babies (mostly ours), but I wouldn't go back to the newborn stages for anything. We took this video of Cooper earlier today. He has been smiling for a little over a week and is just learning to laugh. This is where it just gets to be more and more fun every day! (Right up until they become teenagers, I hear)

P.S. Sorry for the low framerate of the video. I grabbed our aging digital camera and just shot some quicktime footage really fast. We have this nice camcorder and just bought some expensive video editing software and I don't know how to use the stuff!

2.13.2008

Senility of a 27 year old

I am afraid Chris is beginning to show early signs of Alzheimer's, as he is apparently having lapses in his short-term memory. . . . For the record (and in my defense!), it was not Jenny who made a sound in the aforementioned post. In the words of Chick Hicks: "Hey, McQueen, that must be really embarrassing. But I wouldn't worry about it . . . because I didn't do it! HA-HA-HA!"

2.12.2008

Float Like A Cadillac, Sting Like a Beamer


So, we were sitting at dinner tonight talking (and waiting for the bloody chicken and rice to finally finish cooking-- the brown rice takes forever). All of a sudden, Jenny's um... chair...? Made a funny noise and Ian started laughing. He said, "Your bottom is stinky! Stink like a beamer!" We were so confused for a few moments until we realized that Lightning McQueen, Ian's idol, likes to say "Float like a Cadillac, Sting like a Beamer." I thought Ian's variation was pretty awesome.

2.11.2008

Backseat Driver

So, since we are in the mood to post funny stories about Ian this morning, I figured that I would share one myself. We got our new car about ten days ago and we really like it. It is much more zippy than our Subaru station wagon, and the SOHC, All-Aluminum inline-4 makes some fairly satisfying sounds. Thus, when I pull out to pass people, Ian generally says something to the effect of "Whee!" "Wooo!" "More!" et cetera, et cetera.

However, the other night we were coming home and Jenny was driving.

She had to change lanes and then make a quick right turn in order to get onto our street. Right as she did so, she started commenting on her own driving with an "AAAAA!" Ian picked right up on this and looked, alarmed, out of the front window at where we were going. He then piped right up with "Watch out for that house, Mommy!"

Have I mentioned that Ian and I are best buds?

P.S. The results of our Bob Barker poll show that most of our friends watch too much TV. 58% of you think that he is a legend. Just FYI, I was the one vote to retroactively spay or neuter his parents.

"You in time out!"

This morning Ian wanted to watch a movie (shocking, I know). He has been asking for "Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang" since 7 a.m. when he woke up. I told him that we could turn it on after he took a bath. He didn't like this idea, so he told me: "Mom, you in time out!" This isn't the first time I have been told this. Pretty much whenever Ian doesn't like something I ask him to do, he tells me I'm in time out. But this time was a little different. After telling me I was in time out, he said he needed the timer and went to the microwave and started pushing buttons. He didn't get the timer button but did start the microwave (and manage to burn some food remains that really started to stink). Ian is really catching on to things. His time out are usually for 1 or 2 minutes--until the timer on the microwave goes off. Apparently, Mommy needed a "timed" time out this morning, too. It is amazing how much they understand and do at this point! It also gave me a good laugh as I sat in the living room listening to him push the buttons during my "time out". :)

2.07.2008

Marathon Mommy?

So three posts in one day, eh? Not too bad for someone who has slacked off for the past two months (notice again, no coincidence on the timing--Cooper will be two months tomorrow :) ). I have wanted to post about this since I saw the "Spirit of the Marathon" movie. I have always wanted to run a marathon (BTW, Chris, it was on my list of qualities for a future spouse that we run a marathon together; it was lower down the list, as in, not a necessity...but maybe something to consider for you too! :p).

I ran long distance in junior high and high school. I wasn't ever great (my biggest accomplishment was taking 6th place in the 800 meter at Alpine Days and feeling quite proud of myself). I never really put a ton of effort into it; I did go to practices and worked hard during the season, but running was not a way for life for me. I don't know if it ever will be, but I would like physical exercise, especially running, to become a bigger part of my life. And for my family, my kids. I am not sure when it will happen, but I would like to have some races to work towards; things to motivate me to get out and run again.
Val is trying to convince me that this is the year to run St. George, but I am not sure if this is the right timing or not. We are entered in the Runners Series, so as long as we run two races in St. George before May, we automatically get a place in the marathon. But um, I haven't run since April 2007 and am just barely getting to the point in recovery and less sleep deprivation, where if time (and Chris's schedule) would permit, I could head over to BYU's indoor track and start building up again. I also need to save for a double jogger (which Cooper cannot be in while jogging until he is 8 months old--kind of a problem for training in the meantime...that and training while nursing, which I have heard is possible...). But anyways, my point is this is something I want to do someday...whenever that is...and until then I really want to make running a bigger part of my life because I think it would help me to feel better and be happier. That and I am realizing I need to be planning for and looking forward to things; enjoying life now, but also having things in the future to get excited about. I know training for a marathon will take a lot of time, commitment, and physical and emotional energy; I am masochistically looking forward to the time when I will take up the challenge! St. George is on the list for sure. Maybe Chicago? Chris said the other day that if I decided to run 'em, we'd just visit places where I was going to run. Sounds pretty fun! (I guess I would have to run the 26.2 miles, not just go to sightsee!)
Which brings me to--if you want some motivation to get into running or resurrect that desire to run a marathon, you need to go see "The Spirit of the Marathon". Chris was a sweetheart and watched the boys on 1.24.08 so Val and I could go watch the one-time showing at the theater. There is now an encore performance for 2.21.08 if you have any interest in attending. Go to www.marathonmovie.com for more information about the movie. It truly was inspiring! It helped me realize it is a ton of work, but doable for ANYONE who commits to it! Right now the idea of a marathon may just be a dream, but it is now something I am putting out there and planning to do. It is a neat feeling to have something to look forward to and plan for!

The Lord works in mysterious ways...

I am always grateful when people speak of the "tender mercies" in their lives. Often this is something I have a hard time seeing when it applies to me. But I am grateful for the times when I am more in tune with all the Lord has blessed me. Most recently, Pres. Hinckley's passing has touched me immensely and done much to help me reflect on my life and how I need to do better. I am so grateful for his life and example. Watching his funeral and various tributes to him has really helped me to reflect on who I am, where I am going, who I want to be become, and what I need to do to become that type of person. I will miss Pres. Hinckley, but am so grateful for the legacy he left us. I hope I can pattern my life after his, as he truly was a man who was striving to be like, and life for, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I also have been trying to do better at my scripture reading. I had just started the Book of Mormon again and was in the "Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith" when Pres. Hinckely passed away. On Monday I received an email about a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 97 in memory of Pres. Hinckley (I send this to many friends and associates, but if you are interested, go to www.hinckleychallenge.com. I joined on Monday and was 11, 540. There are 26,471 today! It is so neat to see Saints join together in good causes!). What perfect timing this was for me, as I often need something external to push me along. I am happy to say that I am on page 17 and am gaining wonderful new insights during this read-through of the Book of Mormon.
I am grateful for Pres. Hinckley's promise when he challenged us to read the Book of Mormon: "Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God" (“A Testimony Vibrant and True,” Ensign, Aug 2005, 2–6).

That is EXACTLY what I need in my life right now! I have been struggling lately in various ways, but am grateful to see reading the Book of Mormon again as a way to grow closer to Heavenly Father and my Savior and to receive Their Spirit and guidance more in my life. I am so thankful that the Lord promises such amazing blesseings when we are striving to be obedient and live righteously. I know His promises are sure! Because I have felt His Spirit more in the last few days than I have in a long time. (Wow! I am realizing how incredibly personal I am being; I hope you are okay with that; I guess if not, this is my blog and you don't have to read my posts anymore. Ha ha! Just kidding! But I guess this is how I am feeling and what I am doing and thinking in my life right now! Maybe this is good practice for me to open up. Hmmm...even though Chris would say I do that FAR too much and too often with him! LOL)

My last recent tender mercy is one of those ironic ones--being asked to speak in the Saturday session of our stake conference this weekend. When Pres. Parry called, I pretty much knew what he was going to ask. I really wasn't feeling up to speaking (who is ever really thrilled, especially to a big crowd?! Eek!) but of course knew I would say yes. Then he tells me the topic--"Living by the Spirit." Obviously, the Lord knows what I need and knew that is an area I need to work on. What better way to help me in this area than to be given the opportunity to read, study about and prepare a talk on this subject. I will let ya'll know how it goes. But I am grateful for the Lord teaching me through various ways, as difficult as they sometimes may seem at the time.

Doing Mommy Time!

Yes, for all who were worried that I had dropped off of the face of the earth, I am still alive...very busy and tired, but alive. I have often heard moms said that the third child was where things got crazy; I must be a wuss. I love my boys and I am so glad I can be home with them all day. But it is BUSY! Luckily Chris has done a fantastic job keeping up with this blog (thank you, babe! Plus, let's be honest--Chris is A LOT funnier than I am. My posts will likely not have the same flair as his). But Chris has been constantly asking me (or bugging me...) when I am going to post something. I just kept telling him I was too busy. Seriously though, my internet time has cut down a lot since adding #2. It has been a long 2 months. It is sad in some ways that Cooper isn't that tiny, little newborn anymore, but now he is starting to smile, coo, and respond to our smiles and words, so that is very exciting! I had a realization yesterday that the time when they are little is so precious and it does go by so fast, but that you are so tired and recovering yourself, that it is sometimes hard to enjoy it (aka at 1:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. when you can hardly get yourself out of bed to do another nighttime feeding). So in a lot of ways I am sad that Cooper is getting bigger and older, because I do love the sweet newborn stage. But now I am loving his awareness and emerging personality. I guess that is the key to enjoying life--enjoy each season and stage for what they bring.
Luckily, Mommyhood is also attemptimg to teach me to slow down and enjoy what matters most. It is sad that this is so hard for me (it was even hard when I was getting paid $20/hour to play with my child clients; something seems wrong with that....maybe I do really have issues, Chris!). I made a conscious choice to sit down and play with Cooper in these pictures. Most of the time, that is what it takes for me to slow down and stop worrying about and doing other things, like housework or other responsibilities. It really does seem silly that playing, relaxing, just sitting and enjoying people, especially my kids and husband is so hard. Sigh. I probably sound melancholy (see, most of you are probably wishing I hadn't posted! Chris, I'll just blame it on you for wanting me to...ha ha!). Sometimes it is interesting coming face to face with things you need to change and how you need to be better. No matter how far I have to go, I do love my boys--all three of them and am grateful for all they teach me. And most of all, for their patience. Mommy knows she has a long ways to go, but she is so glad she has the sweetest boys in the world to help her along the way.
Look at that face! With such cute kids, it is amazing I do find time for anything else. Cooper is getting to be cuter and more fun each day.

2.06.2008

BYU 83 TCU 72



Tonight we went to the BYU basketball game with our Young Men's group (I am 1st Counselor, again), and we had an extra ticket, so I brought Ian along for his first game! The game was good-- BYU was ahead from the start and never lost the lead, so it wasn't really a nailbiter, but we got to see some good ball and Ian was such a good boy-- he stayed close by me, didn't bother other people and was really cute when we went to get a treat (he wanted lemonade. Not Sprite. Lemonade.).


In fact, he was really into the whole experience. I put the tickets in the diaper bag, but he promptly retrieved his ticket and sat down with the "cool" boys from our YM who had moved up a couple of rows to the very-tip-top of the Marriott Center. He held on to his ticket for most of the game, but was willing to give it up to me when we got him a little BYU basketball. He kept wanting me to help him find the orange ball (sometimes it moved a little fast for him on the court) and he was a little unnerved when a teenage kid a few rows down started yelling when there was nothing going on, but he laughed and then went down, snuck up on the kid and started yelling back!

I can't wait to take him again-- and I am excited for when Jenny and Cooper can go, too!

Sunday Best

Jenny's Mom and Dad gave Cooper cute Sunday clothes for Christmas, and because Cooper's cousin Madelyn was blessed last week, he finally got to wear them! He looked really adorable, but you can definitely tell that he is my child by the look on his face: "Mooo-oom. We've been home from church for over five minutes now! I want to get out of this monkey suit and into my pajamas!"

Les Poissons

We had salt & pepper rainbow trout with garlic lime potatoes for lunch on Saturday last week. Ian was excited about the fish when they were on the counter and we were talking to them. Once they were on his plate... well, let's just say that it didn't help a whole lot when we told him that they were like Nemo, Marlin and Dory. Eventually he let us feed him and he liked it, but it was not something he snarfed down on his own. We got this cute picture, though!

I Just Can't Help Myself.




I am a sucker for all things automotive, and I love good journalism. So, when something comes up that combines a beautifully engineered car with incisive and witty commentary by Jeremy Clarkson (one of the greatest automotive journalists of all time, in my humble opinion), I just can't help myself. I have seen this video dozens of times, but it still captivates me.

2.04.2008

Tale of Two Brains



In LDS theology, we believe in eternal progression; ideally we will continue to learn and grow until eventually we become like God. I have long held (disclaimer: this is NOT an LDS doctrine, but a product of my own fevered imagination) that the last thing that we will be required to understand before becoming gods is the opposite sex. We are just so different in many fundamental ways that really understanding the point of view of someone of the opposite sex is a real feat.

I received this video from my Dad in an email earlier today and laughed so hard I thought I was going to pass out. The guy in the video discusses structural differences between the brains of men and women and it is so funny because it is SO true!

2.03.2008

Great Video-- Thanks to Andrea!



Andrea found this great clip on YouTube and shared it with us tonight.
About halfway through the missionary on the left switches to singing the backup choir part.
It's pretty priceless.

Bob Barker Says...


It's a New Car!
Okay-- it is not new, but it is the newest car we have ever owned and it is new to us. Here's the story.

We have been talking about what we are going to do about the car situation with us going to Las Vegas this summer. I was really not comfortable with going down to a city where we don't really know anyone and then leaving Jenny alone with two kids and no car all day.

We have been batting different ideas back and forth for a couple of months, and we finally settled on the idea of a CUV or something similar that would accommodate all of us plus one or two, but wouldn't cost a fortune or get the kind of atrocious mileage that most minivans and SUVs get. We also decided that we would wait until we got our taxes filed and take what we could get from our return and what we needed from our savings so that we could put a reasonable down payment on a new vehicle.

Being the car nerd that I am, I looked around and found the Mazda5, which is basically a mini-minivan based on the Volvo S40/Mazda 3 architecture. It is a little bit funky looking, but it is also compact, lightweight, seats 6, and has a 153-hp all-aluminum inline 4 that does the job and still returns up to 28mpg.

Anydangway, we had decided that we would start looking as soon as we got our return back, and on Wednesday, I found an '06 with only 16,500 miles on it that was right where we wanted it in terms of price, features and even had the 5-speed manual transmission instead of the 4-speed slushbox. (Lemme think. More Zoom, Better mileage, less money, more fun to drive... that was an easy choice). By Friday night we had it parked in our lot--things sometimes happen much quicker than you think that they will!


I called Ian when I was on my way home with it and told him that I was coming with his new car, so he was watching out the window. I pulled up and he said, "that's not Ian's car!" He has bonded with it pretty quickly, though. He sits up higher and has a big side window out of which to look at the world-- both improvements over our Legacy.

On that note, I just have to mention something. This is the sixth car I have purchased since I got home from my mission in September of 2001, and something odd has happened with all of them. Every time we have gone to buy a new car, we have sat down and tried to think of what we wanted and needed and what we could afford. We have prayed about it and tried to decide whether the time was right to spend the money or whether we needed to wait (incidentally, there have been a couple of times when we have felt that we needed to wait and we have done nothing). Every time that we have spent the time to decide what we wanted, needed and could afford, taken the decision to the Lord and felt that it was time to go forward, we have always found exactly what we wanted at the price that we needed and things have happened very quickly. And we have yet to have a lemon. We are very blessed.

One more thing. My Dad tells a story about how he really gained a testimony of tithing, and it involves his paying his tithing and then finding the exact fishing pole that he had been saving for (but could not afford because he had paid a full tithe) at less than 1/4th its normal price. One of the things that he took away from that experience is that the Lord knows and understands us-- and speaks to each of us in ways that are personally meaningful. For my Dad, it was a fishing pole- something which would probably not get my attention the way that it did his.

Those of you who know me-- even a little bit--know that if you want to get my attention, you should talk to me about cars (or submarines). I can't help but think that our experiences with cars are not coincidental, that the Lord answers our prayers while he knows that I am paying attention. If any of you have experiences where you feel that your prayers are answered in ways that are significant to you individually, we would love to hear about them. You know where the comments are.

2.01.2008

Ian's Fire Fighter Engine

I'm not sure exactly how the laundry basket became a fire engine, but it has been playing that role for most of this week. Ian will load his cars, his stuffed animals, his sandwich from three days ago that has been hanging out under the couch, et cetera into the basket and push it around the house making siren noises-- and not just any siren noises, they have to be fire engine siren noises (I seem to have a hard time making the right sounds--evidently we are raising a siren conoisseur).

Ian got his Plooter (the little learning computer he got for Christmas) and sat in the fire engine the other night and was having a great time talking to the other firefighters, playing on his Plooter, eating YoGos and being so darn cute that I just about popped. He saw Cooper across the room and decided that Cooper needed to be a firefighter too. It will be a little while before Cooper joins in the play, but it is fun to see that he is already invited. We are very blessed.

The Boys

We were cuddling in the chair watching Bob the Builder the other night. Ian and I were really enjoying it, though I am not sure that Cooper was quite as in to it. In fact, based on the expression on his face, I think I know what Cooper was doing at the time, and it is not something that I like having him do in my lap... Parenthood is some glamorous stuff!

It has really only been in the last few months that Ian has become more demonstrative about his affections. He was not a really cuddly baby, and it took him a while to catch on to hugs and kisses, but it seems like now he has a real need for affection- he will just put his arms around my neck and his head on my shoulder and hug me for as long as I will hold him sometimes. He has gotten more excited when I come home-- the only downside is that it breaks my heart when I have to go to school or work or Scouts and he asks me, "Daddy, you go bye-bye?" and then I tell him yes and he just looks up at me and says "No, stay home and play with me. Please, Daddy?"

At that point, I can never feel like there is any good reason for me to leave, but it seems like I always have to go anyway. I hate those days.

Cute Little Cougar

We haven't posted any pictures of Cooper for a few weeks-- he'll be 8 weeks old tomorrow, so I guess that means we have missed like half of his life! He is growing well and staying remarkably healthy considering that Jenny, Ian and I have all felt poorly kind of on a rotating basis. His eyes are looking brown today, but it is still hard to figure out which way they are going to go. More to follow!

Blue Trout

Dad and I went fishing about two weeks ago and had a ball-- and actually caught some fish. Normally, I emit some sort of magnetic field that the fish sense and it makes them sink to the bottom and sulk until we leave. We had a great time-- it is really nice to be able to count your dad as your closest friend. Anyway, while we were fishing, Dad told me about this dish called Blue Trout. Supposedly, if you have fish that is fresh enough, you gut and behead them, rub the inside of them with some spices and stuff them with a slice of orange, then bake them on a bed of rock salt with more orange slices on top. If you do it right and the fish are fresh enough the skins will turn blue. Well, we did it, and as you can see above, it works! Oh, and the fish was delish and it did make quite a dish.

It's a Zoo Around Here!

So, this morning Ian and I were having breakfast when he all of a sudden looke up at me, pointed at his box of Honey-Nut Finding Nemo O's and said "Daddy look! A "N!" He was pointing to the "N" in Nemo! This is the first time that I have had him start to independently identify letters. We have been singing ABC games and playing with his "Plooter" (the little VTech learning computer that he got from my parents for Christmas) and he has enjoyed it, but it is so fun to see him recognizing things on his own. He also picked out "T," "M," and "O."

On another note this morning, Ian and I were reading through one of his animal books and he was showing me all of the different animals that he likes. One page featured a picture of an orangutan with her baby. We have called Ian a monkey since before he was born, so I pointed at the picture and I said, "Look! It's a monkey-- like Ian!" Ian looked at me and said, "No, Dad. Ian is a rabbit." I am really not sure where that came from, and was just soaking that in when he went on to say, "And Mama is a hamster and Baby Cooper is a baby hamster ."

I then made the critical mistake of asking him what Daddy was. "Daddy," he said, "is a hippo!"

If you were wanting to invite us over for ice cream, don't bother. I'll be dieting for a while.