nothing much.

A couple family stories.

The other day we went to the zoo and we were watching the Lynx licking each other. I explained to the kids about how cats lick to clean each other. A couple minutes later, I turned around and found Bekah and Kyle licking each others arms.

Last week we drove down to Provo and saw the last 15 min. of the BYU football game. How cool is it to start teaching your little one all about football. So American! And because we just walked in, we sat in super seats real close right at the 50 yard line. Nice. Then we headed to the Harri Karishna temple for Indiafest. Uncle Richie was the 10 headed monster in the play. The kids really liked it, especially when the statue of the monster was lit on fire. Kyle still likes to talk about monsters, and unfortunately he now sometimes has trouble sleeping because he is afraid of monsters. Oops.

I also was able to go to the Mormon Tab concert with Rob & my mom. It had a couple guests who were fabulous! It was such a super show. How lucky are we to have such great entertainment so accessible and so free! Gosh life is good.

One last goodness. I took the kids to the park the other day, and instead of just sitting and watching, I went and played with them. I sure love to hear them laugh! Kyle has a a deeper belly chuckle ... it's the best! Bekah giggles and squirms. She gives such good hugs. Then she will go on and on making up a story. I just took a moment to enjoy hearing my children laugh and felt grateful that I can. Those moments are good.
They make up for the next day, when I spent half the day yelling.

Fishers of fish

A couple weeks ago we went to the Utah State fair. The highlight was when the kids each got to fish in a pond and catch a fish (you can imagine how hungry those fish were if they still got caught even after my 2 yr old kept smacking his fishing pole down on the water). The kids loved it. Rob loved it. Remembering his own experiences with his dad, Rob likes to take the kids fishing and teach them all that father-stuff. It's great. most of the time.A few days after the State Fair, the kids come running in from my neighbor's (Charity), telling me how they had to go home because Charity was mad at Berlynn (her daughter). Well, come to find out, Charity found her daughter standing over the aquarium, holding their fish. Discovering this, her other daughter began a huge meltdown. This was the daughter who made them hold a big funeral the last time a fish died. Charity told me that she was surprised because Berlynn had never tried to touch the fish before. I wasn't surprised. I know which two little side kicks came up with the brilliant plan to go fishing! The same two that knew exactly when to quietly make a run for home.

my official Preschooler

Bekah started preschool! Twice a week, I drop her off for 3 hours at a preschool nearby in a woman's home. She seems to really like it. I now do double takes periodically at how much she is growing up. I've even heard her use the word "totally." She draws pictures of people with big round circles and lines coming out for legs and arms. Before I know it, she'll be too cool to give me a kiss before going to class. But for now, she is just my little girl, and I love it.

Why I hate Walmart

I am not a big fan of Walmart and I avoid shopping there when possible (for my own ethical reasons and I know you would probably find huge holes in my reasoning). But, I needed to buy a booster seat, soy yogurt, and get my oil changed. Where else can I get that done, and get my car vacuumed, too?

So, after checking my car in, I go buy my stuff. They haven't called my name, so I stall and hang out for 30 min. in that area with the arcades while Kyle pretends to drive a car. I finally head back, but they tell me they are still not done. Another 10 min. Okay. I let Kyle ride one of the tricycles around for another 30 min, waiting for my name to be called. So is my car done? Nope. When I show up to pay, the lady tries to ring me up, but it won't work. I wait another 10 min. (pretending to read a magazine so I stay calm and friendly). Then they figure out that they have never actually done the oil change. What!??!! I have been in the store almost 2 hours, and it still hasn't been done? It is not even a busy day! After the lady goes to the back for another 10 min, I have to go find her, because I am going to be late picking up kids from preschool if I stay 1 min. longer. GRRRR! This is the 2nd time something like this has happened, and I only shop there probably 5 times a year.

On the positive side, another lady waiting at the auto shop leaned over and informed me quietly that she was a secret shopper. Yeah, write that down.

a needle in a haystack

A total MIRACLE! I got home last night to find the diamond in my wedding ring was GONE! This was a diamond from my husband's grandma. I had just been playing volleyball at the church, and had remembered seeing it when I took my ring off to play. But a tip of one prong had broken, and it was now gone.

Long story short... a number of small miracles happened. I called a neighbor (at 10:45pm!) to get church keys, and although they didn't have keys that worked, they came over and watched our kids so both Rob and I could scour the gym floor, look in the hall, in the car, and parking lot. We were (miraculously) able to get keys, and after a long time searching, we found the diamond. The proverbial needle in a haystack.

It was really a miracle! I have to say, at one point I thought about how I would react if I didn't find it. I decided that I wouldn't cry or get really upset... after all, it was just a thing. But it is a relief to find it! We both knelt on the gym floor and said "Thank you!" before we went home.

Silver lining

We got home from our trip after midnight Thursday night, and what did we find? Blood pooling at the bottom of our fridge. A power outage had shorted the compressor in our (3 yr old) fridge while we were gone. Everything was very bad and VERY VERY smelly! I'm a nurse, and have seen a lot of gross stuff in my time, but it made me gag.

Anyway, by Friday afternoon, we had a new fridge! I found one locally that was only 1 1/2 yrs old, a much nicer fridge (they had just moved here & needed to get rid of it), and they threw in a nice (extra large) washer & dryer in all for $600.

Plus, as a couple extra gifts from heaven, my kids played quietly all day so I could make all of the necessary phone calls and arrangements. The weather was cool enough that we could leave windows open to air out the house (phew!). Then, just as we were walking out the door to go out to eat, a neighbor called us to come eat dinner at her house. I think that there was more than just a silver lining... maybe even some silver plating.

our Yellowtone trip

My husband always points out that there is a difference between a vacation and a trip. A vacation is where you go somewhere and relax... sleep in, sit by the pool, sleep some more. On a trip you go and do. I'll give you a wild guess which one I plan. My in-laws are probably chuckling already, remembering the time they took the family to Spain, and I, along with my travel books (and I was the only one who brought travel books), forced everyone up and out the door one morning with a list of places we were going to visit that day. Bless your hearts for putting up with me! Aren't you glad you did? I figure, if I am going to just sit in a hotel room or by the pool, I could have done that at home. Plus, my kids don't sleep in any way.
So, after finishing all of the sicknesses, we headed out for our family vacation... er... trip. We first stopped at Jackson Hole to visit Aunt Nene and Uncle Kevin. We had fun playing games with them while the kids slept, and then the next morning we went on a lovely little hike to find a geocache. These things are great! My husband loves the techno-side of using his GPS to find them. The kids bring a little toy that they can trade for another toy in the geocache. And I love walking in the beautiful parks where they are hidden. Afterwards, Uncle Kevin probably spent an hour doing the same magic tricks over and over for my kids. They just couldn't get enough! Note to the other uncles out there: You have some stiff competition! Who doesn't love a MAGIC UNCLE!

So Tuesday afternoon, after a quick stop at the Tetons, we rolled into Yellowstone. And we took off running. We went to so many places, saw so many things. We figured the kids wouldn't go to bed on time anyway, so we stayed out hiking until it got dark. Thank goodness we stayed in warm cabins, because it dropped down to the 20s at night. Occasionally it rained or once snowed, but that was usually when we were driving. We always wore jackets or coats and the kids wore hats, so we were always warm enough. We had such a great time! I think that the waterfalls were our favorite. That might be because Bekah hated the smell of sulfur. Rob (brilliantly) gave her sticks with sap on it to smell, so that helped some. Once we took a wrong turn on a hike and ended up hiking to "Solitary gyeser". It was supposed to erupt every 4-7 minutes, and just as we arrived, people were leaving and assured us the eruption was worth it. We waited... and waited. After a little while, "solitary gyeser" was not so picturesquely solitary, as a 3 year old decided that she had had enough. After 20 minutes without an eruption, it started to drizzle and we also decided we were done. Aahh well.
But, most of the time we had very happy campers! They both did great on hikes and got along soo well. We enjoyed the wildlife: bison, elk, wolf, birds, marmots, chipmunks, deer, and even a bear (seen from binoculars... very far away, but a bear nonetheless). We hiked out to Lost Lake to see a moose, but had no luck. It was a really nice hike, though.

One day we were out the door at 8 am and didn't get home until almost 9pm! That evening, we decided to go on one more hike down to see a waterfall. After we were hiking for a while, we came across big warning signs that said: "Warning, 328 step descent. Very difficult hike. DO NOT Continue unless..." It was already after 7, and I asked Rob if he thought we should really do this. After all, we had been hiking a lot and were pretty tired. Not to mention we have a 2 and 3 year old. Well Bekah, hearing this, piped in: "Let's have a prayer!" We then gathered together while she prayed that we could do the hike and be strong and not whine. What a good example! So off we went, down down down. It was pretty nerve wracking going down steep stairs, looking through the metal stairs straight down the mountainside, clutching a child's little hand. It was a beautiful view at the bottom. Then we turned and began the ascent, counting each step as we climbed it. And WOW! The kids did great! Bekah climbed almost all of those 328 steps, and there was not even a little whining... none! We stopped and rested regularly, but I was amazed that by the time we were done, it seemed easy; we weren't even winded! It reminded me how I need to pray more... how much help we miss out on just because we think we can do it alone, and thus fail to ask the Lord for his help. Thank you, Rebekah, for teaching us all.

Cute swimsuit

Okay, I have finally found a cute swimsuit. I mean I NEVER look good in a swimsuit! Even the day after I wore my new one, my husband randomly said (again), "you really looked good in that swimsuit!" An unrequested compliment! Come on, he's an engineer. The only time he even notices what I wear is when I ask for a compliment and make sure that he actually looks at me when he gives it. AMAZING! Plus, I got it on sale. Whoohoo!

So, anyone who reads this: go to www.modbeclothing.com/melanie
Look under their sale items at their swimsuits. They are actually modest and cute. Make sure and order the swimsuits one size smaller than the fitting size says you are, because the material stretches. That's what Melanie said, and it's true. Also, at checkout, put in the party code 355, and if there are over $300 worth of orders (I'm already half way there) you will get a refund of 10%. So order before they are gone. (Gosh, I'm shameless, aren't I! But seriously, my husband even liked it so much he said I could buy another one).

Hand Mouth Foot

This will probably gross out most of whoever reads this, but really, I can't help myself. I'm a nurse. I'm the type who goes to a bookstore and loves to read the medical books with the gory pictures. So I bribed my son to hold still and open his mouth so I could take pictures. Dang, I'm a horrible mother. Really, I can't help myself. It's just so cool!



Last week, my kids got hand foot mouth disease (also called herpangina when it is localized in their mouths). Saturday they spiked fevers and then complained that their mouth hurt. By 24 hours, I could see the little blisters in their mouths and soon Kyle even had them on his feet, hands, knees, and arms. Bekah didn't have it too bad, but poor Kyle. Which means poor mom and dad, too. Thank goodness that I work at a local Kidscare, so I ran to work and made a mix of lidocaine, benadryl, and maalox that I regularly used to swab their mouth to numb the pain. I think Kyle basically cried constantly for 3 days (and nights) straight. And that was with a regime of Motrin, Tylenol, and the mouth wash. What did people do before children's tylenol and motrin?

Of course, we were planning on leaving early Monday morning for a family vacation. I had made reservations for cabins in Yellowstone back in March and we had been preparing all week for the trip. Of course. I'm telling you, plan a family vacation and you automatically triple the chances that a kid will get sick. We once even stopped at the pediatricians ON THE WAY to the airport because of a sick kid. Miraculously (mostly due to the fact that school has started), we were able to change our reservations for the following week and just postpone the vacation one week. Anyway, lest anyone I know blame me for infecting their child, I kept my kids away from others for a week, and then the next we were up at Yellowstone. Yes, it was a difficult week.

On the bright side, because we were in town that week, we got to attend the reception and dinner of one of Rob's really good friends. This family is so amazing... the kind that are so nice and good, that you almost feel wicked around them. But they are so good and kind that you can't help but love them and want to be a better person. So Rob and I are going to really try and be better.

Another big plus: Kyle is done with his pacifier. Because of the blisters, he threw it across the room and called it a "bad pacie". That was easy... in a very hard way.

Why?

"Why is the clouds gray and not white?"
"Sometimes they get so big that they become darker."
"Why?"
"Because they are so thick that it is harder for the sun to pass through."
"Why?"
"Because the cloud is thick with water vapor. There is a storm coming, so the cloud is getting bigger and bigger. The sun can't go through all of the that thick water vapor, so it makes the cloud look darker"
"Why?"
"Because (followed by a lengthy explanation about thermodynamics)..."
"Why?"

At this point, the person answering gives me a look of desperation, "Does she ever stop saying 'why'?" "Nope."

I think it's always kind of funny when someone who has never had a 3 year old talks to my daughter. They keep answering those adorable "why's" over and over and over and over... Those who have had a 3 year old know the answer: You just stop answering.