just sitting

Nicholas was sitting on the couch, smiling at Daddy.Daddy started singing the "oompa loompa" song.
That's Nicholas's favorite.
"Will you sing it again, please?"
"But I really, really love that song..."
"Oh thank you, dad! You're the best!"
"What do we do now?"

"This pillow looks like it would be good to chew on. My two almost-teeth could use a good gnawing session."
"Uh, Mom?"
"Help me up?"
"Stop taking pictures and help me up!"

Oh those eyebrows...I just can't get enough of my baby boy! He's so delicious!

groundhogs day

When my mom was in college, she and her roommates started a tradition
of celebrating Groundhog's Day.
Yep. You heard me.
We celebrate Groundhog's Day.

It is a very simple tradition, and it includes only two things:
1. Ice cream
2. Drawing pictures of groundhogs

Although I was a bit concerned that they might think it rather silly, we invited our friends over to celebrate with us.
And they had fun! (Or at least they pretended to.)
And I added two more little things to this year's celebration:
1. Eating sausage for dinner (ground-hog, get it?)
2. Groundhog cupcakes

I believe it was a success. I did my part in spreading the tradition.
And until next year, Happy Belated Groundhog's Day!

bits of January

I started a new project early last month. I was inspired by a lot of others and decided to take one picture every morning this year and put them in a book.

Here's a little taste of what our January was like:


Jan 9-We recieved a load of topsoil for my planter box in the backyard. Kent spent the morning hauling it to the backyard using a rented dolly and a green recycling bucket.

Jan 23-Nicholas and I went on a walk almost every day this week-the weather was so nice!
I wore shorts.
In January.
Yes, Texas isn't so bad after all.

Jan 27-Sewing placemats for my mom.

Jan 25-Kent (finally) recieves his new laptop! I can't even tell you how anxious he was for this day to arrive.

Jan 18-Just me and my buddy

Jan 16-The weekend of the "small project blitz." The little to-do's had piled up, and I couldn't take it anymore. We accomplished a whole lot that Saturday.

Jan 15- We cuddle in bed every morning after Kent leaves for work.

Jan 12-Rain. And a very tiny corner of my beautiful planter box.

Jan 11-Sometimes Nicholas needs a bath in the mornings. Sometimes I'm too tired during the night to change his wet diaper. Sometimes it leaks through. Sometimes Nicholas bathes in the mornings just because we want to, though.

Sorry they're not in order. Maybe next month.

"bob, bob, bob"

It's been a while since my last post,
I know.

We've been busy-really. Lots of little projects around here. Spring cleaning, etc.
It feels so good to get organized!

I just wanted to let you know what we've been listening to lately. Nicholas learned to make a new noise.
And he makes a lot of it.

I love how he seems almost embarrassed, but he can't stop doing it.
And you gotta love this kid's eyebrow expression!

chip off the old block

Daddy dressed Nicholas today.At least his head will stay warm, although probably only for as long as that little hat stays on.
These guys have so much fun together.
Nicholas is all smiles as soon as he hears the garage door opening at the end of the day and Dad is home from work.
Moms just aren't as fun as Dads. And that's the truth of it.

Last night Nicholas was helping Dad install a new computer program. I love the identical expressions on their faces.I don't know what I'd do without these two.
I love them. A whole lot.

advice to bring peace

A friend of mine posted this on facebook.

In a BYU Devotional, given on May 14 1996, Elder F. Enzio Busche of the Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave advice to those listening on how to become a disciple of Christ. The speech was entitled "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit" and can be found at http://speeches.byu.edu.

a slice of nirvana

In the Sunday morning rush I broke a cereal bowl.
Having a baby means adding at least 45 minutes to your getting ready routine.
45 minutes or more.
And the difficult part is, you never know when 45 minutes might turn into 55, or 65.

But we made it to Church, and since our ward is full of young families, getting there in time to have soft seats for the 9 am Sacrament meeting is less a matter of getting there early than it is simply getting there before everyone else does.

We slid into our bench, arranged the diaper bag and other belongings, took off our jackets, and settled in with Nicholas, prepared with a handful of "silent toys," burp cloths, and his binky. We snuggled in close and played with our baby for a few minutes before the meeting started.

After the meetings were over, Kent went over to the bishopric's offices to get some paperwork and our bishop stopped him.

He told Kent that he watched our family come into Church that morning.
He said that we looked like "a happy little piece of heaven," and, crossing religious terminology he added, a "slice of nirvana."

***

I'm not very familiar with what nirvana actually means.

I looked it up on Wikipedia.

"The Buddha described Nirvana as the perfect peace of the state of mind that is free from craving, anger and other afflictive states. The subject is at peace with the world, has compassion for all and gives up obsessions and fixations."

The subject is at peace with the world.

Peace.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" -John 14:26-27

And that is my one little word for 2010.

Peace.

President Gordon B. Hinkley said, "Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us." (from his book One Bright Shining Hope).

I am a champion worrier. Poor Kent can attest to that. I always have been. I worry about anything and everything.

Especially now that I have Nicholas.

But it isn't just worrying that I have a problem with. I get easily upset when things happen that are different from the perfect little plan in my head.

I stew. I mull. I mope and complain.

"We should not live a life of despair and gloom. We should enjoy life in the light of revealed truth."

-Marion G. Romney, former first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church.

I hope that this year I can learn to be at peace. I want to be happy with what I've been given, love the people around me, and trust that our Heavenly Father will look after what I cannot control.

Post-edit: Kent just informed me that the phrase "a slice of nirvana" didn't come from the bishop, but from Kent himself.

Either way, I like the phrase, and the writer in me is loving the sentence structure I've got going on up there, and so I'm keeping it as is.

an island

ninety-percent complete

We have just a few things left to do before it's done:

Trim the damaged edge off of the white panel that goes on the back where the barstools will be,

install one more drawer pull because we grabbed the wrong kind at Home Depot,

and purchase barstools.

Have any of you seen a place we can buy white wooden barstools with backs?

Our kitchen has already come a long way since we bought it,

and we've still got an island to finish, tile to install, a new dishwasher and range to swap out, and painting to do.

And two burned out lightbulbs to replace. Hehe.