That's one down, six to go

We got an e-mail from Michigan State, informing us that because they have no doctoral candidates graduating this year they will not be accepting any new students.

They dang well better give us back the fee, that's all I have to say. And I'm sad that we don't have even the chance to live by my in-laws, whom I adore. Josh, on the contrary, thinks this is hilarious.

Especially since Michigan State is the top application choice for a number of current and former BYU students this year.

The Abolition of Man

Last week, while waiting to have my bishop fill a huge hole in one of my teeth (thank goodness he's an amazing dentist and gives us wonderful discounts), I started reading The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis.

It's the first non-fiction piece of writing I'd read by Lewis, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had to read it much slower than I am accustomed, as his writing style was dense and deep.

The basic idea behind this writing (it's more of an essay than a book) was the damage being done to children by well-meaning educators. He argued that there are those who would, in examining value systems, demolish all values save those they deem appropriate. The end result is a posterity who do not recognize the importance of values at all, because their only value is to question.

He discusses what he refers to as "The Tao", or the underlying laws of the universe. Things have inherent value; having inherent value they demand certain reactions, such as appreciation, respect, or disdain. The importance then is placed on teaching children to recognize what is inherently good and what is not. When they reach an age where they begin to reason for themselves, they have a solid value system as a starting point, and have greater chances for success in this universe.

My takeaway is that I need to make certain to give my children the opportunities to experience beauty in art, music, literature, nature, and human interactions, to give them a better chance of having a joyful life.

TEETH

Everybody would like nice ones.

Hence the reason why I have asked favors of most of my good friends, so that I can spend 3 1/2 hours driving or in the dentist's chair.

I just had my second of what looks like four appointments.

I had a chunk of tooth fall out the night of Leo's birthday. I went to get it fixed, and had another small cavity filled in the process.

Today I went for a cleaning and x-rays, where the dentist found five (!!!) more. I don't get it; the hygienist and the dentist said my teeth look really good, free of plaque, they can tell I've been flossing, etc. But FIVE?

Lame. So two more appointments to get those taken care of, since right now we have a wonderful bishop who is kind enough to do it at cost for us.

LAME. Wonderful, I'm grateful, but LAME.

Silence

I apologize for the absence these past two weeks, to any who read regularly.

Life has kept me busy. That and a new goal to get my work out of the way during the day so that I'm available to hang out with Josh in the evenings. Really it's been awesome, but it means less internet, which is also good.

I'm working speedily on Guy's birthday present (which is going to be awesome). Christmas presents for some members of my family have not yet been started, but I'm done shopping for my brother and his family, and my sister's son.

We already put up the Christmas tree, which has been such a bright spot. I'm listening to Christmas music right now and I love how cheerful and festive it helps me to feel.

Oh, the other reason I haven't been blogging? I've been running on an average of 6 hours of sleep lately. Some nights I get more, some nights I get less, most nights it's interrupted by nursing Leo. Need to get him out of the habit. Need to get more sleep.

PhD applications are done! That also took a considerable amount of time. The final list:

Stanford
USC
U of Arizona
U of Pennsylvania
Michigan State
UBC in Vancouver
Cornell

Now the ball is in someone else's court, and we're waiting.

Ah! And Leo is walking! Go Leo!

I promise I'll post more pictures soon; they're infinitely more interesting than my ramblings.

Happy Birthday, Leo!

New Hair!

 

My big sis surprised me on Saturday by taking me to a salon for a pedicure, color, and haircut. Josh watched our boys for seven hours *seriously awesome*

This is after I washed it, and blow dried it. I'm loving the color, it's a nice rich brown that's a bit deeper than my natural color. I'll go blonde again someday, but for now I'm really happy.

Movin' and Groovin'

This past week, I FINALLY found a great place to put the CD player where it is out of Leo's reach and still easily accessible. Meaning we've been listening to music every morning to help get me going. I'm more productive this way, and it really helps me be cheerful.

I picked up an old Neil Diamond album from the library that I am loving right now (Chelsea Morning, anyone?) but strangely the Beatles yesterday left me in a melancholy mood.

I want to know what you all listen to to pick up your mood? What starts you dancing around like a fool? What songs or artists make you feel ridiculously happy?

"Won't you stay, We'll put on the day and we'll talk in present tenses"

Ever have one of those days . . .

The only thing that sounds good to eat today is processed meat products and cookies. I watched an episode of America's Next Top Model yesterday, and saw a model eating eggs and fried spam, and actually salivated.

I promise I'm not pregnant. It's just one of those days. One of those weeks?

The little boys and I have colds, I have four loads of laundry to fold. The dishes threaten to eat me alive. Somehow I'm doing a load a day, at least, but instead of going from kinda dirty kitchen to clean, it's going from national disaster to kinda dirty. Hmm, need to fix this.

I blame it on all the entertaining lately. When I cook dinner for someone else, I have a truckload to do and don't touch it until the next day when it's so desperate that I have to wash a knife before I can butter a piece of bread.

Have I mentioned I love my life? I do. I'm just kinda grumpy today. Blame the cold.

HAPPY THINGS: Leo slept through the night! 13 hours, no nursing! I got a new fun book from the library! I have a husband who works harder than anyone I know! I have a car! And yummy food! And family who love me! YAY!

24 YEARS!

Today I turn 24. My favorite parts of the day?

• Josh coming to Sacrament Meeting in our married ward, and holding the kids while I played the organ. "You must not ever get ANYTHING out of church anymore."
• Family members calling me to wish me happy birthday.
• Having a clean house for going to bed is really nice, too.
• Ooh, eating this for dinner was definitely a highlight. Except I cooked it in the oven at 350 for 2 hours (a wee bit too long). It tasted like Autumn.

This week will hold mostly life as usual. I need to start making a plan for Thanksgiving, and get Leo's birthday gifts finished. Can you believe that in 9 days my baby will have his First Birthday? I look at my children every day and marvel at how quickly they grow and learn. The Lord has blessed our little family, and this past year has been one in which I've learned just how much he loves me.

One year ago, I was getting Christmas gifts finished and wrapped for my family. I was finishing my first read-through of the Old and New Testaments. I was feeling more than slightly crazy.

In the past year I had my first epidural. And delivered my second, most precious, little boy.

In the past year I lived in California for three months, two of which were without a husband.

I've learned that the Lord really does make good on His promises.

I realized that I am MUCH stronger, more motivated, and capable than I knew.

I've also learned that nothing is more important than my relationship with Christ. Everything else that I do is secondary to the fact that He is my Savior.

My marriage has begun to show that little bit of polish that comes from four years of work; it's been worth all those tears and difficult moments.

I taught a child how to use the potty!

All in all, I look back on the last year and feel satisfaction in where I am right now. I also feel anticipation that the future will hold even more joy and, yes, sorrow, for me and my family. It may not be easy, but I thrill at the challenge of making this life even more like that life Christ wants for me.

Tired

I'm feeling a little tired this morning. Wednesday night, Josh and I were silly and stayed up until midnight or so. Then got up at 7 with the kids (and Leo and I were up twice in the night).

Yesterday I felt pretty tired most of the day, but I didn't take a nap--during the boys' naptime I helped Josh finish up the application to USC. Yesterday evening, we went to sleep around 10:30. Leo, who had been up at 9:30, woke up again at 11:30. And 1:30. And 3. And 4. And 5. Finally at 5 I wised up and gave him tylenol, and he slept until 7:30.

Then this morning, I'm changing Leo's diaper, and Guy starts gagging. Yep, he threw up. Only twice, though, but he doesn't want to eat anything. I was planning on working out this morning at 6. Didn't happen. I was WAY too tired. So then I was planning on finding a neighbor to watch my kids for an hour. Looks like that won't be happening, either. Great.

It's going to be a good day, I hope. I hope.

French Onion Soup

I love Mimi's Cafe french onion soup. It's so tasty.

Thanks to Amy for the excellent lunch, and the tasty vanilla cupcake I'm currently enjoying!

The USC application is FINISHED (except for the receipt of transcripts and letters of recommendation).

Two down, five to go.

Music Week

This was a few weeks ago, but it really was a hit. We made maracas, talked about pianos and xylophones and loud and soft and danced. We listened to classical music, jazz, and Canadian Brass. Having a plan is a good thing, helps us to have a lot more fun than otherwise.

Seriously?

Highlights from the past week

In the last 8 days we had two parties to attend, two dinner parties to host, and a night at the symphony.

I went into the bathroom to do a short job, and Guy climbed up to get a black marker, colored all over himself, and rolled on my couch while the ink was still wet.

While washing my hands at the kitchen sink (back turned for 25 seconds), and Guy grabs a small pumpkin off the dishwasher and smacks Leo in the head with it a few times. Hard. Wind-up hard.

Guy still wears diapers during naps, as he is in a crib. Today he pooped, took the diaper off, and then put on underwear and his pants. Instant laundry day!

I just spent an hour doing dishes. Didn't get them all done, but got close. This is with a dishwasher.

I cooked acorn squash, butternut squash, and beets, all for the first time this past week. All were excellent. Also made dinner in a pumpkin with feta, bacon, and swiss. I love good food.

And now? I need to fold laundry. And go to bed so I can get up at 5:45 to work out. I hope it's not cold.

Love y'all.

It's official

I am addicted to the internet. I'm always wanting more, more to read, more to watch, another story, another recipe, another idea.

The problem is? The more I read, the less I'm doing. I surf the internet, while Guy watches TV during Leo's naps. Not really the ideal for me.

So where do I go from here? I don't want to cut it out completely. So how do I manage an addiction that is simply not worth getting rid of? I still need e-mail---relief society activities are pretty much ONLY announced through e-mail. It's how I contact friends, keep in touch with families who've moved away, and find good ideas for recipes and crafts.

But how do I keep the internet from being the end, instead of the means? Ideas?

(potty update: day three, no accidents today, 8 accidents total)

Potty training

or potty learning, as some call it. Yes, folks, Guy is learning a new skill this week.

So far so good, I'm pretty pleased with the day's progress. I'm hopeful that tomorrow we'll have as many or fewer accidents, and he's learning and pleased with himself.

In the meantime, I spent the entire day in my workout clothes, no shower, and when the kids went to bed I was exhausted. Next time I start potty training, remind me to do it on more than 5 hours sleep, m'kay?

Miscommunication

or rather un-communication.

I get SO FRUSTRATED when there are misunderstandings because one party of the conversation fails to mention IMPORTANT DETAILS. I know that sometimes that's me, but dang if it isn't a big pain when we fail to express what we're actually thinking and assume the other party is thinking the same thing we are.

ARRRGGGH. /rant

No Tv

So the no TV thing? It's not happening. It's too hard to keep Guy out of trouble while I'm showering, so two or three times a week it comes on.

Josh likes to flip channels before going to bed to relax. So it's on every evening for at least a few minutes.

But we have significantly cut back. Guy does have days that are TV and computer free. And the more I plan, the better our day goes. So today? We've planned to go to pumpkinland!

And yes, I still need to figure out how to upload my camera using Ubuntu. I'm loving Linux, but I'm not very good at troubleshooting without Josh by my side. Yet!

School choices: (this has changed so many times)
Stanford
UBC Vancouver
Penn State
Michigan State
Univ. of Oklahoma
Emory
Pittsburgh

Oh, sad

I'm looking up a recipe for dinner, when I look over and Leo is laying on the floor with his head on a floor pillow. He sits up just long enough to look around, and lay back down.

Fever. Poor kid spent 40 minutes this afternoon just resting his head on my shoulder. Three naps so far today.

Hopefully it will pass quickly and the rest of us will avoid illness.

And this morning, I found out that a family in our ward (Jeff & Kelli Lund, as I know some will wonder) lost their infant son to SIDS last night. Nothing makes you want to hug those you love closer than knowing that someone today is mourning the loss of such a precious family member.

Quick update

I've been absent because the computer's been off during the day, and I've been sick, and I don't yet know how to get my operating system to recognize my camera in order to upload photos.

But Guy had 4 hours of television this week, as I had a fever on Wednesday and Thursday and slept the afternoons away.

I'm happy, but we also had a TON of fun doing all our planned activities talking, reading, and learning about music. I plan to do this again, but didn't plan much for this week because SURPRISE! I'm exhausted from 18 days of someone being ill in this house.

Please don't ask about my weekend, because it was awful to feel so tired trying to recover, chasing after two kids, and taking care of Josh who got sick.

But this no TV thing? It's great. I plan to keep it up for the majority of our days.

I Ready!

So after a week of being sick and letting Guy watch enough TV to rot his brains out, we're having a TV free week. Josh will unplug the TV tonight and we'll put it away. I'll put the laptops out of sight during waking hours. And we'll just be.

We'll have playground time, sure, but I'm taking a leaf out of Katherine's book and doing a Theme of the Week. Call me crazy, but I think we'll have some fun and maybe learn something too!

This week we're going to celebrate music and dancing.

We'll learn about drums, and make and paint one. We'll bring out the guitar and show it to Guy and maybe let him strum a bit. We'll read books about music and orchestras. We'll talk about pianos, xylophones, and our voices. We'll make ribbons (or maybe scarfs?) for dancing. We'll make popcorn and sing that famous Primary song.

Because popcorn is the only musically associated snack I can think of right now! It's going to be a good week, and hopefully there won't be too many tantrums before we start having fun.

Seriously, you should have seen Guy yesterday. It was hard to tell if he was still sick or if the runny nose was just from the constant cries of anguish. Too much TV. Wish we never had the thing in the first place some days.

BUT! This week! It will be great! I hope. At least I get to start the week off right. My kitchen and living room are SPOTLESS thanks to a certain Josh who spent an hour with me this evening cleaning by my side. Love that man.

I'll let you all know how it goes :-)

I should say something

My problem is I have so many ideas running through my head, and when I try to chase some of them they refuse to be nailed down.

So here I am. Saying that life is busy. My boys are sick, but finally starting to get better.

Last week was so crazy that I cooked dinner on Friday when my mother-in-law was in town, and then didn't cook until the Sunday ten days later. THAT is how busy we've been.

Every other day Josh comes home with a new job lead, meaning a new cover letter, and more applications, and more hoping and wondering. But he has his first interview on Monday. I cannot believe how long the recruiting process is for some of these companies.

I'll post pictures as soon as I figure out how to get my camera to upload them on Ubuntu.

Introspection

Jessica MacDonald came to visit last week, and at the playground we started talking about how to manage life as a mom of littles. She related a talk she remembered Sister Bednar giving that resonated with me.

The gist of the story is that when she had young children and her husband was very busy, Sister Bednar was given a blessing wherein she was promised success in raising her family if she adhered to the simple principles she already knew.

1) Getting enough sleep
2) Eating well
3) Exercising regularly
4) Daily prayer
5) Daily scripture study

In an effort to more closely follow the commandments, I have been focusing on improving myself in these efforts in recent weeks.

Josh and I turn off the computers at 9:30 p.m. so that we can get up at 6 and have enough sleep. I get so much more done in a day if I get started at 6 than if I wait until 8. Since all I do after the dishes are done and the kids are in bed is relax and work on projects, I don't feel deprived going to bed by 10.

I've also been exercising regularly, and when I add my scripture study and prayer to that my mood is much more stable. The days when I don't aren't quite as happy.

One last thing that is making a huge difference in my life is prayer. I now take the time to pray whenever I'm nursing Leo to sleep, either for his twice daily naps or in the evening or at 5 a.m. I feel much closer to Christ, and have a better feel for fulfilling my family's needs as well, which is an unexpected effect.

This just leaves eating well. So far this morning I've had 3 servings of fruits and vegetables, so that's a good start. I know what's healthy for my body and what's not, I just need to be more vigilant about what I bring into the house and what we eat when we're out.

Last Night

I didn't expect much yesterday. Josh was really busy. Didn't even come home for dinner. I didn't get much done, the house was trashed, and I was out the door to start the laundry once the kids were asleep when he calls.

Would I please come to campus and spend some time with him? Maybe we could get dinner?

Sure, I leave the monitor with Natalie (who is AWESOME! and the BEST NEIGHBOR EVER!) and go find him on campus. We chat for two minutes, and decide that I'll go get dinner while he keeps studying. I come back, and he is packing up his stuff because he's needed to do interviews. I help him pack his stuff, and we go back to the car and drive to the CB, where I waited in the car for 35 minutes while he did interviews. And tried not to cry, thinking about everything at home that was left undone.

I fully expected him to have interviews yesterday, but nobody called or e-mailed him. So we assumed he wasn't needed. The last-minute disappointment, when I got excited about having a quiet meal in a study room, was a little hard to take.

Busy Weekend!

Josh's brother Jeremy blessed our new little niece Olivia Jayne on Sunday. This means my mother-in-law came out to visit, and Guy sure had fun with her! Friday night we tried to make donerkebabs, and on Saturday we spent the morning and afternoon with family, and spent the evening at Josh's grandfather's house in Riverton. Then Sunday was church and an afternoon luncheon at Jeremy's grandma-in-law's house here in Provo with ward prayer in the evening. We had lots of fun, but Josh was really worn out once everyone left. Thankfully Monday gave him a chance to catch his breath and catch up on homework.

The semester is already in full swing, and Josh can tell you all about it if he ever gets a moment. He's a TA, writing two papers, taking 6 classes, and is in the bishopric. Busy busy!

This week will be no exception. Ward FHE last night, Josh has interviews tonight, tomorrow night is a graduate student dinner followed by bishopric meeting, and Friday night we have two ward socials. Saturday is the Wymount social.

Oh, and did I mention that job applications are due Thursday for the firm Josh is really interested in? WOO HOO! We're also buckling down with grad school applications this week, too.

Like I said, busy busy. But we're so very happy. I used to keep thinking, "I wish we had more money, I wish we had a bigger place, I wish I didn't have stretched out clothes from little fingers pulling me every which way". Right this moment, I feel so grateful to be right here and I am loving my life!

TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT

Over 100 people signed a petition, asking for a gate to be put in a fence so they could trample the grass and save a few feet and a few stairs to get to their cars. The fence was put up likely for the express purpose of keeping you from walking on the grass.

Seriously?

Now they want to mutiny against wymount for the construction and landscaping.

I am unmoved. Yes, I am frustrated, but threatening to never donate to BYU until they change their attitudes and show more compassion? The same BYU that gave us rent credits?The only person losing will be the one with the rotten attitude.

Lame. I'm just disappointed that some of these people, who are my friends, have such a sense of entitlement and lack a perception of reality (and rental rates in the rest of Provo).

You want something to happen? Propose a solution, and in a spirit of reconciliation help make it happen. If you really hate it? Really, truly? You can leave. It's a month-to-month lease.

Now I can get back to disciplining my sassy 2-year-old.

Monday morning

Josh is back to school today, so most days he'll be gone between 6 and 10 hours. I need to get into some kind of a routine. We'll see how that goes.

So far this morning, Guy has drawn with a pen all over the sheets on the bed, pulled everything out of a kitchen cupboard (when I went to put Leo down for a nap, there was a rolling pin in his crib), pulled dirty laundry out of the laundry basket, helped me make pancakes which I subsequently burned, and jumped up and down on my bed yelling "HOORAY FOR PANCAKES! HOORAY FOR PANCAKES! HOO-RAY FOR PAN-CAKES!"

I'm thinking we need some major outdoor time today, judging by the amazing amounts of energy he exudes. Whoa.

Current PhD Schools:
Michigan State
Pittsburgh
Emory
University of Oklahoma
Stanford
University of British Columbia

Day of Rest

The kids got up at 6:30. I got them out of bed a few minutes before 7 after I couldn't ignore the crying anymore.

Church doesn't start until 2 p.m. This leaves a LOT of time to fill without going to the playground or watching TV.

It's not been a very obedient or pleasant morning at times, and I just noticed that Guy turned my crockpot off.

The crockpot that has dinner in it for Josh, so that he can (or rather, would have been able to) eat right when he gets home.

Let's just say I spent a few minutes shut in my room eating a candy bar, and while it helped, I still feel completely overwhelmed by my non-restful Sunday.

Sunday

The way I figure, we have about 38 Sundays left in the singles ward.

Today is the only one where the schedules don't significantly overlap. Josh went to his 9 a.m. ward and I'll be going to our 2 p.m. ward with the boys.

We've decided that once a month or so I'll bring the boys to all three hours of the singles ward, until January when Guy is in primary. I don't know what we'll do then, as I feel strongly that he should be in his own element.

The rest of the time, we'll go to our 8 a.m. church for all three hours. The only thing I'm REALLY not looking forward to? Josh will take the car to his 6:30 a.m. meetings, and thus I will walk to church every Sunday. Regardless of the weather. Leaving every morning at 7:45 a.m. That's going to be interesting! I think I'll see if I can find a nice canopy for the double stroller for bad weather.

The hair

I don't pretend to be able to take good photos. Josh can't either. So here's the best we came up with this morning. And the last photo is for comparison

The last few weeks

There's been a lot going on the last few weeks.

Josh and I have attended several ward family home evenings, giving lessons, hosting, etc. for the singles ward.

We celebrated our fourth anniversary with Gyros and hair dye (which turned out much subtler than expected).

We ditched the wedding reception of a good friend since our kids would. not. go. to. sleep. and went mini-golfing once they were unconscious since we had a babysitter already.

I read a bunch of magazines. I read Emma (and loved it).

I dyed my hair again, and like it a lot. It's kind of a dark blonde/light brown, and I think it's gorgeous. I'll post pictures soon.

Leo is sick, and woke up with a fever last night poor kid. He woke up this morning, and then after nursing dozed a bit. Then I sat him on the floor to play, and looked at him a few minutes later to see him laying on his stomach with his bum in the air, asleep on the floor. He's back in bed now. But he's been sleeping through the night lately, all 12 or 13 hours! Heaven.

Josh and I have been planning a trip next summer. If we end up working or going to school in the east, we'll drop the kids off with his folks and younger sister for a few days and go explore Toronto and Niagara Falls (so exciting!).

Oh, and Josh is considering taking a few years off of school to work before we head the PhD route. Who knows where we'll be in a year? Not me!

Ooh, and I made Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan bread last night for dinner. Holy cow, it was incredible. If you like Indian food and want the recipe, let me know. Because while it took an hour and a half of hands-on time to make, it was really amazing. Amazingly amazing. I'll never eat takeout again amazing.

Pooped

Literally. 17 poopy diapers in 36 hours.

And Leo needed 80 minutes of help to go to sleep tonight. I've got four loads of laundry left to fold, no clean silverware or plates in the house, and am in desperate need of chocolate.

Some days have moments where I feel like I'm just barely hanging on.

I'm going to eat a cupcake now. And then watch some mindless reality TV. And contemplate doing the dishes that so desperately need doing.

Homemade Pitas

So good, so cheap, that I see no reason to ever buy pita bread. Ever.


Pita Bread
Makes 8 breads

1 cup warm water (not hot or boiling)
2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)

Mix the water and yeast together and let sit for about five minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour (saving the last half cup for kneading), salt, and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough is formed.

Sprinkle a little of the extra flour onto your clean work surface and turn out the dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes total, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Clean the bowl you used to mix the dough and film it with a little olive oil. Set the dough in the bowl and turn it until it's coated with oil. Cover with a clean dishcloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it's doubled in bulk, 1 - 2 hours.


I cooked these on the stove, over medium/medium high heat, 30 seconds on one side, flip for a minute 30 seconds, and then flip once more to the original side for another minute 30 seconds. SO AMAZINGLY TASTY.

Here's the link for the original recipe, if you want directions for how to make them more like pockets, in the oven.

Nicole--I have no idea. I've never seen pita bread in our stores, only pita pockets, which are usually dry and gross.

Shauna, you have GOT to try these

We had these for dinner Thursday night, for our anniversary. And for lunch Friday afternoon. We figured, because we ate 5 of them, that we saved approximately $29 over getting gyro's from our favorite Greek restaurant.

RECIPE AS I READ IT:
GYROS

4 large 8-inch pita breads (5 if not pocket type)
½ med onion, chopped coarse
4 tsps lemon juice
½ tsp table salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP minced fresh oregano
2 med. Garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. Ground lamb (or beef works fine)
2 tsp veg oil

tzatziki sauce:
½ c. greek yogurt
½ med. Cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced fine
3/8 tsp table salt
1 TBSP juice from 1 lemon
1 small garlic clove, minced
½ tsp dried dill

Combine cukes, 1/8 tsp salt, and lemon juice, over colander, let stand 30 minutes and drain. Oven, middle rack, pre-heat to 350. Cut top quarter off each pita, tear into 1-inch pieces (3/4 cup). Stack pitas and tightly wrap with foil.Process onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and pita pieces in processor about 30 seconds to make a smooth paste. Add to meat and gently mix until combined. Divide into 12 pieces, roll into balls, gently flaten. Place pitas on oven rack and heat for 10 minutes. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Add patties and cook until well browned and crusty, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium, and cook about 5 minutes longer. Combine yogurt and cucumber, remaining salt, garlic, and dill in clean bowl.
Spread ¼ c Taztziki Sauce inside each pita, put in pitas with tomato slices, ½ cup shredded lettuce, and 2 TBSP feta. Serve immediately.

We made homemade pita bread on the stove, and omitted the feta. The 12 patties were too large, and our pita breads a bit too small, as only 1 fit in the bread and the recipe specifies 3. So the second time around I made smaller patties.

I think if you used regular yogurt (plain, full fat) instead of Greek yogurt, the sauce would be just fine and cheaper.

This is what happens

When I try to get them to sit together for a picture. Awesome! I love the look on Leo's face in the second picture. So determined!

A Little Melancholy

Josh is home, hooray! Although being jet lagged and exhausted means he's spent most of the day relaxing in bed.

However, as summer days pass and I start looking to fall I'm feeling a brush of melancholy begin to color my moods. Having lived in Wymount for four years, I've seen lots of families come and go. Now as Guy gets older I feel even more keenly as my friends and his playmates depart, moving on to the next stage in their lives.

I am constantly reminded of the joy of having even a few good friends, but the playground that was once overwhelmingly full of children's bodies flying in dizzy patterns is now nearly empty most mornings. I'm blessed that I'm quite close to the mothers in the ward who remain, but that delight is still overshadowed by the disappointment that as Guy asks to go to Allie's house, or Addie's, or Tyrus', or Jaxon's, he'll always receive a gentle explanation that his friend no longer lives or plays here.

Transitions seem to ceaselessly strike me, almost as though I were the rock upon which the flint strikes; eventually something will start to smoulder. I'll hope that from the ashes will arise a phoenix. I could use an alter ego. :-D

How awesome is that?

Just about the only friend I still have from high school (one of two, actually) is coming through Provo today! I had no idea until I saw her post something about SLC on facebook last night, and she and her friend have decided to take a detour through Provo to come and say hello!

I'm super excited to see Caitlin. She and I did theater in high school together, and thoroughly enjoyed our silliness and our Theater and French classes.

"Est-ce que ton homme ressemble un homard? Ne t'en fais pas! Beaucoup d'Hommes peut t'aider!"

Good times. I'll post pics if I remember to take any.

NYC

Josh is heading to the Big Apple tomorrow morning, dark and early, for the AAA Conference.

No, not that AAA. This AAA is for accountants. Josh is going to present the paper he co-authored on ranking Accounting PhD programs by current faculty members' publications.

Which is exciting for him! Great chance for networking, and BYU is paying for everything for his trip.

And it's exciting for me! I get four days to play, and tomorrow I get to play the organ in our ward, which I always love. I've even already practiced, which is a miracle in itself.

Which means, Hell's Kitchen on Tuesday night! Woot!

Bel Canto

So, a book review of Bel Canto. Anybody who frequents the playground knows that I was passionately in love with this book.

Until somewhere around page 235, I believe. When there was a half page scene that was tasteless and profane. But nevertheless I pushed on, hoping that it was not representative of what would come; I relied on the 234 EXCELLENT pages before that one to make a prediction that it would be worth it in the end.

I wish I had been right! There was more profanity. The ending was succinct but a little bland. The epilogue? Downright lamely written.

So, while I really liked the book until the last page of a chapter about 2/3 of the way through, I can't say I would recommend it to many friends.

That's what little boys are made of

Enjoy. This is just a snip of the hilarity that we see every day at the Coyne house. Love it!

Finally!

Two children who are THRILLED BEYOND BELIEF at the prospect of bathtime? I feel like I won the lottery.I cannot tell you how exciting it is that Guy is now HAPPY to take baths, and requests them even! He's showered or bathed every day this past week. All it took was the addition of one *very cute* baby brother. The best part is, two kids get cleaned in half the time!

A far cry (thankfully!) from the screams and tears of months past. Sincerest apologies to my neighbor Natalie, who has doubltess heard many a cry on Sunday mornings through our woefully thin bathroom walls.

A Ramble

Dinner with the other counselor in the singles ward bishopric, and his wife and ADORABLE 9 month-old little girl, went marvelously. It was very toasty in our apartment, but the food was good and we decided who is to speak on what on Sunday. So now I just have to write a talk.

Hell's Kitchen is starting a new season, so Josh and I need to decide whether or not we'll continue watching. As we've grown over the last few years we've been watching the show, we've come to realize that it certainly is not the most uplifting use of our leisure time.

I've abandoned the structured preschool format for Guy now, and instead we just read and read and read. I've checked out dozens of children's books from the library, and while most don't interest him we're up to 8 that deserve his attention.

It's hot. And I'm sweaty. And it's hot. I feel great until about 5:30 p.m. But preparing dinner is a real struggle -- we're just not into raw food enough to make dinners heat-free yet.

I've been reading up a storm lately, getting ready for book club, and I am so excited! It's been great to step out of my normal comfort zone of things I like to read, and I'm currently ENAMORED with Anne Patchett's novel Bel Canto.

We're definitely reading this one for book club this year.

Exhausted

Sundays wear me out, big time. Today especially, since the kids went to bed Saturday an hour and a half late, got up an hour earlier, and then after church we went to Jeremy and Amy's for dinner with a crowd. A fun crowd, but tiring nonetheless. Josh and I came home, put the kids to bed, and then laid down on our bed and passed out for two hours.

Whew.

And tomorrow? Cleaning the house and having the 2nd counselor and his wife over for dinner and FHE. And planning the talks we're giving next Sunday.

Anybody have a magic "keep-the-kids-quiet-during-church" remedy? Anyone?

Exciting News!

Huge congratulations to Amy and Jeremy Coyne for their new baby girl, Olivia! She weighed in at 9lbs7oz, 20 1/2 inches long. I forgot to ask what color her hair is.

In other interesting news, if you want to see me in a pseudo-MC Hammer video , go ahead and click here. Or go to Youtube and do a search for Savertime.

In case you're wondering how I got involved, it's all thanks to my big sister, who is "MC Saver's" administrative assistant.

The Accidental Tourist

This was an interesting read for me. It was published the year that I was born, and was one of those novels that I simply had to finish. Yet I didn't feel enamored of it. I'm still not certain if I even liked it.

I can state firmly that I'm glad I have read it (past tense). The idea of being an accidental tourist through your own life, without taking chances or adventures or making any concrete decisions yourself, is an interesting one. The protagonist of the story is a man guided by routines, logic, and efficiency. His life seems to be on a set path, but he manages to find some "accidental" detours, until at the end of the book he takes charge of his own destination instead of floating idly through life.

The story is immaterial, although it intrigued me. I don't remember any language, although there is the implication of extramarital sex, as he is separated from his wife but not divorced when he meets another woman.

Pick it up if it interests you. After all, Anne Tyler received a Pulitzer for an earlier novel. I can't really say I would recommend it, as I don't know to whom I should recommend it. But I'm glad I read it.

Provo Farmer's Market

Having lived in Provo for several years, today was the first time I went to the farmer's market in Pioneer Park. 5th West and Center St.

I've always wanted to go, but felt a bit out of sorts going by myself. Since Josh swears he hates farmer's markets I knew I couldn't count on his company.

So this morning Guy and I made the adventure, and it was awesome! There's a great playground right next to it, so Guy had fun, too. I met a cattle rancher who sells grass-fed antibiotic and hormone free beef. We bought some cherries, an enormous head of cabbage and a big zucchini. I bought some fresh herbs and Guy got a chocolate chip cookie approximately the size of his face. You can imagine he thoroughly enjoyed that one!

I enjoyed looking at all the different vendors, and the overcast, cool weather was perfect. We'll definitely be going back

Sundays

Sundays just got harder.

I love the Sabbath day, and all that it represents. But it's not quite so restful when I spend so much time trying to teach my boys how to honor and appreciate the gift of a day of rest.

Josh left at 9:30 this morning for meetings, leaving the boys and I to our own devices. I had grand visions of a tidy house and a yummy dinner waiting for him when he got home. Then reality laughed and threw her shoe at my head.

Okay, maybe it was Dr. Seuss' ABC book, but it still made contact with my head. Multiple times. Rough morning, to say the least.

I got the kids dressed and to church on time, without forgetting anything at home. But Guy just wanted to run, and jump, and play, and yell his name to the fluorescent lights on the ceiling (he loves looking up and saying, "Hi, Lights!" to fluorescent lighting- or "Guy-yah-yah!"). After the sacrament, Guy threw a fit, so I dragged him onto my lap, where consequently Leo was also sitting, and started thinking about what to do next when two lovely young ladies came to my rescue. They sat down on either side of me, one taking Leo and the other looking to amuse Guy and fetch the things he "accidentally" dropped on the floor in front of us. Talk about a blessing from heaven.

These girls managed to turn my Sunday from I-want-to-pull-my-hair-out-or-curl-up-and-cry-in-a-corner to peaceful and mindful in a manner of a minute. I could actually listen to the testimonies. Thank goodness for angels.

I think I can handle this--especially if I can get a little extra help through sacrament meetings. Although dinner was still a bit hairy. Fast Sunday dinner always is when one doesn't manage to get home before 5:45 p.m.

But the blueberry pancakes were a hit, the boys are in bed, and with any luck won't wake up before 7 a.m. I could really use a morning where I'm allowed to stay in bed past 6:15. Please.

Austenland

Yesterday afternoon, I started reading Austenland by Shannon Hale, on a recommendation from a friend, and I LOVED IT. I finished it this afternoon during naptime.

It was light, funny, a quick read, but still thoughtful and engaging. And even had a few fun vocabulary words, if I remember correctly.

A great read for any of us who've fallen in love with Colin Firth, our delicious Mr. Darcy.

Go for it. You know you want to :-)

Life Just Changed Again

Josh is now the 1st Counselor in the bishopric of the BYU 9th Stake, 57th Ward. No, that is not our ward, it is a singles ward whose members live south of campus. Sacrament meeting is in a large lecture hall in the Clyde Building, where Guy is just barely heavy enough to hold down the seat cushions, and just barely skinny enough to maneuver his way anywhere in the room (I suspect).

The boys did great during sacrament meeting, but it's going to be a bit of a wild ride I suspect. :-)

Oh, boy

Yesterday I was really close to totally losing it. Leo was nursing, and I was hot, itchy, and sweaty. I had been ready to go run errands for half an hour while waiting for Josh to finish something, and Guy was whining.

I looked at Guy and gave him a warning in a stern voice.

He looked right back at me and said, "Momma, take a nap!"

Awesome.


I'm fixing the albums on Picasaweb, I accidentally marked them as unlisted.

Pictures

For mom and anybody who cares--

http://picasaweb.google.com/kandieyman

Read-Aloud Handbook

I just finished reading Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook and boy did it give me a healthy dose of motivation!

If you will ever have any influence in a child's life, I recommend reading it.

But if you want the short version, here it is.

1) Read to your kids
2) Make books available and market them to your kids (make them appealing and accessible, like by shelving them face out instead of spine out)
3) Read to your kids
4) Be an example of reading for pleasure
5) Read to your kids
6) Require your children to read
7) Make more time to read to your kids

I've decided to focus less on an "organized" preschool and just put my efforts towards reading every day for at least half an hour to Guy. I need to get or make some more French books for him to read, to help with his French vocabulary.

Definitely worth checking out, though. I borrowed the copy I read from the Provo Library.

Reverence

So, Guy had some serious trouble on Sunday. Running away, laughing, and shrieking kind of trouble. I'm hoping it was a one-off, the result of too little sleep from the riotously fabulous ward campout (thank you activities committee!) .

So I e-mailed my aunties to ask their opinions about discipline, and got some interesting answers. Many of them decided against toys or snacks as the kids grew, finding they proved more distracting than anything else. One can draw anything under the sun with a kid in her lap to entertain. Two of them are adamant about making sure being in the chapel is a whole lot more pleasant than being out of the chapel. Two also told me that if the kids were out of control, spanking worked really well and was only needed on extremely rare occasions but was extremely effective.

So I'm thinking of instituting a "feet don't touch the floor" rule. I'm also going to cut out the snacks, because they always end up all over the place. Sippy cup of water we might keep bringing, since Guy tends to be a thirsty fellow. I'm also going to downsize the amount of things we bring to keep Guy amused, since this past Sunday everything ended up strewn across the entire length of the center bench and all over the floor.

I'm also going to start talking about reverence at home a lot more. We'll start enforcing it during FHE, family prayer, family scriptures, and any other time when appropriate. Hopefully the practice will help.

Wish me luck, because I have a distinct feeling I'm going to need it more than ever for the next while. I pray that Leo won't start acting up, too. That'd be a whole lot more than I feel like dealing with at this point in time.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

I have lots I could talk about.

Like pulling Guy out from under the bed at the bishop's cabin by his ankles at 3 in the morning.

Or I could review "Bells on their Toes" by the Gilbreths.

But right now I'm really annoyed! I sat down to flip through the channels and was intrigued by a filming of a play on TV5 (french TV station). A fascinating and hilarious piece, a bit like "All in the Timing", centered around an art museum. BUT THE CHANNEL WENT BLANK 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE END. I spent nearly two hours watching, and missed the last 10 minutes. I'm sure it wasn't life shattering given the nature of the piece, but I'm a bit miffed.

Probably more upset than the situation warrants, but I want to know what happens! And it will take a while to google and figure out. Fiddlesticks.

Nights in Rodanthe

All right, let's talk movies. I've seen a few recently, and I want to talk about them.

Nights in Rodanthe

(pretend there's an image of a movie poster here)

I wanted to like this movie, and indeed I did until the last 20 minutes or so. Okay, except for the part where Diane Lane does her usual hemming and hawing and never gets to a point until she gets ANGRY. Not my favorite actress.

Oh, or the part with the extramarital sex.

All right, so I didn't really like the movie. It could have been great, but as per usual it was ruined with an awful ending. Not awful, I suppose it kind of fit, it just made me cry. For 20 minutes straight. I hate that. I don't need it. Life is dramatic and sad enough, without a movie that I thought would make me feel good making me feel worse.

Meh. C-. Not pleased.

Last night's film, though? A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Yes, it rocked. It's awfully hilarious. A few sexual innuendos I never caught as a kid, but I still loved it. "Poor thing, she died at such a young age, without ever having had the pleasure of knowing me."

Suggestions?

When the dog's away, the cat will play!

So, what should I do while Josh is lying on a beach in Hawaii, eh? Any suggestions or ideas? I'll probably watch some movies, and read a lot of books, and take quite a few bubble baths (I don't take nearly enough of those).

But I want to know what you would do, if you had five evenings all to yourself.

And more importantly, what you would eat!

Quote of the day: "DONE?!?" Said by Guy after the opening prayer in Sacrament meeting. He loves his nursery!

Compelled

I feel compelled to write something, anything, but I feel that I have very little to say.

This week was a good one. I didn't get enough sleep, but I made some lacing cards for Guy and transcribed more of my maternal grandmother's journal. I got spit up on way too many times, did lots of laundry, and changed an inconceivable number of stinky diapers. Seven today alone. I also re-read my favorite novel, The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough.

This week I'll be doing a freezer meals activity, watching Babette's Feast, making a trip to WalMart and TJ Maxx in search of diapers and a sun hat, respectively, and should have several exciting packages coming in the mail ( a couple books for me, some clothes, and Josh's birthday present).

I suppose one thing of genuine interest is I've made the jump and organized a Preschool-with-Mom for Guy. Friday we made signs with words and pictures in the order of activities, and made pancakes together. Tomorrow we're going to talk about names and ages, and "trace" (translation: scribble over) the letters in Guy's name, sing the Happy Birthday song, read about Lyle Crocodile's birthday, and make pretzels in the shape of the letters G-U-Y. This is all under the assumption that Leo will take a morning nap, although I am fairly certain he will do so.

Looking back over this post, it amazes me that I feel my life yields so little to say when I do rather a lot of interesting things with my time.

Brotherly Love

Love that face!

Would you care to see what keeps me going when I'm running on 5 hours of sleep and a cold shower?

I know. Adorable. Simply adorable.

Pretty good motivation to keep moving forward. I just have to say how much I love these kiddos. What a blessing.

May

This month Guy for a haircut. We did it ourselves (my first time cutting his hair) and I'm pretty pleased. It's not perfect, so don't look too close, but it'll do.

And Leo, the lucky devil, started solids this month. He's still getting the hang of it, and doesn't really eat much at all, but I'm sure if I keep trying he'll eat more than 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Right?

Eye of Sauron?

Behold the evil eye.

I went in there this afternoon for one thing. ONE THING! Which they didn't carry.

And I spent $30.

Oh, well. Better luck next time. I really just need to remember that I won't spend money if I don't go ANYWHERE.

Irony

You want irony?

I worked to make a lovely dinner, huge salads, and grilled steak. The steaks were AWFUL. Really tough and awful. Freezer burn? Maybe. Or perhaps just a bad cut.

So I saved 75 cents by line-drying two loads of laundry. But spent $14 at Arby's.

After having made a huge mess in the kitchen that still needs to be cleaned up.

Even better? Right after I fetched my nice clean laundry, Leo spit up. Major. All over my favorite (and only well fitting) pair of jeans.

Streamlining

I'm posting my notes to an Enrichment I attended last week for my friends who couldn't make it, and anybody else who's interested. The topic is "Streamlining" and it was given by Alice Fulton, the author of the book It's Here . . . Somewhere.

Streamlining is not organizing. Organizing is putting things in a place, streamlining is dumping the stuff you don't need to make managing easier. Once the extra stuff is gone, the responsibilities associated with managing it are reasonable (namely, cleaning).

Today we are space-poor and thing-rich, and it's only going to get worse as we get older. "A place for everything, and everything in its place" works well only if you have more space than things. Space is fixed, but the stuff you have is variable. Having less is easier to manage, and clutter only makes a house look dirty.

Focus on QUALITY over QUANTITY. Big isn't better, it's just big.

Streamlining is touching every physical thing you own, and deciding:
Do I like it? Do I use it? Do I need it? Do I have room for it?

THE STREAMLINING PROCESS:
1: prepare
Making these decisions is exhausting, so prepare ahead of time. Explain to your family exactly what will happen, how it will happen, and why it's happening. And then don't touch their stuff.
Clear your calendar, prep meals ahead, collect containers (large and small--but don't buy them) and make a plan to have everything removed at the end of the day (DI, etc.)
2: collect containers
Have containers for things to donate, things to put elsewhere, things to file (documents and photos) and trash bags for garbage.
3: work clockwise
Pick a place to start. Dragging your containers with you, fill them as you go. Clear off surfaces.
4: evaluate and assign
Give every space a JOB, and make sure it's a good one.
5: ask the questions
Do I like it, need it, use it, and have space for it?
6: Group and store
Organize like with like, keep stuff used more frequently close at hand.
7: Use memory boxes
Give every family member a space limit on memories, and let the family members decide what gets kept and what gets thrown out. Help little kids to evaluate when the box's lid will no longer shut.
8: Enjoy the empty space
And use it to showcase who you really are.

TIPS AND TRICKS:
Under bed storage
Make a catalog of what lives under the beds. One card, divided into four, to list everything that's kept under all the beds. File it, then when you need something and you forgot where you stored it you won't have to get under every bed.
Wants and needs list
Make a wants and needs list for every room/space. This way you can have a goal for what your space will eventually look like. Don't make do with things you don't love, it's better to have empty space than something you don't like looking at until you can afford what you really want.
Clothing tips
Make sure it's in style, you like it, it fits right, has kept its shape, is a good color, has no unremovable stains, or torn hems, warn seams, etc.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Get rid of wire hangers, use plastic until you can afford satin padded hangers.
Fold children's outfits together, especially for travel. Fold everything, place in pants, fold pants, and then turn inside out to make a "packet"
Kids don't need more than 8 outfits, and 1 or 2 for church.

And nobody needs six sets of sheets per bed, or eight towels per person. Yes, they'll wear faster, but you can replace them when you need to and enjoy your space in the meantime.

Yay for church-y stuff!

I just finished reading the transcript of the CES Fireside where Elder Bednar recently spoke.

A few things really stood out to me, namely his quoting Jacob 4:13 regarding the Lord's meaning of truth. An extension of this topic was the approach of not allowing virtual worlds, media, and technology to rob us of the physical experiences we need to have to progress.

He posed two questions that I'm trying to thoughtfully consider.

1. Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?

2. Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?

Highly recommended reading. Good stuff.

Projects

I like having projects. Things I can think about when I'm bored, or holding a baby who loves to grab things and unable to do much other than think (this is happening a lot lately).

There's the crochet, the decorating projects (in both bedrooms), a play mat for Guy, foam lacing cards, compiling my own Children's Literature database, the spring cleaning, organizing projects, and of course now learning to play the guitar.

I'm thinking it might be time to finish one or four of these so I can focus a bit more on the others and still get every necessary task accomplished each day. Besides, nobody wants unfinished business hanging over her head.

Anybody have any quilt batting I can buy? :-)

Mother's Day

This post is for every awesome Mom in my life.

I wanted to write something moving, something creative, something that wouldn't seem trivial. But all I've got is the memory of a day spent wiping noses, drying tears, laughing at how silly little boys can be, and an overwhelming feeling of grattitude that the Lord has given me a gospel of truth and love to teach to two adorable children. I simply know that it's always been worth it.

Lately we've been working through how to teach Guy to obey, and why it's important to listen to us as parents. I want more than anything for him to be so happy! But letting him stay up past bedtime, or skip naps, or stay outside in the sunshine too long results in an unhappy boy. Gives me a bit of an idea how God must feel when seeing me pass through trials, or when the consequences of my actions are painful. He wants me to be happy, but has the wisdom to know that giving in to my every request and letting me take the easiest road is not the way for me to find that quiet joy and peace.

So give a mother a hug today. She's likely trying hard to do the right thing for her kids, even if it seems to be difficult for the moment. Eternal rewards, that's what we seek. But the giggles and smiles sure help us along the way!

Umm . . .

So, 10 minutes ago we set up an interview for this evening with the Stake Presidency.

Of the BYU 9th Stake. Yes, that is not the stake we live in.

Update will be forthcoming when appropriate. But I'm betting my money that Josh is going to be in a bishopric.

UPDATE: The interview wasn't to extend a calling, it was a get-to-know-you interview. Then, if they want to extend a calling, they can. I can't tell you the relief I felt afterwards, because now they can take into consideration Josh's condition before extending him a stressful calling.

Oh, the insanity

I put Guy down for a nap. Lots of weeping and wailing. He's overtired, not surprisingly, BECAUSE HE'S GOTTEN UP AT 6 A.M. EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.

Of course, I put Leo down, get him to sleep, and Guy starts yelling for me. I go in to make sure everything's okay, and it is, but he's super upset, and starts howling.

Waking up Leo. FRUSTRATING.

Oh, and I bought a guitar today. I've been keeping an eye on it for weeks, but they just dropped the price and added free shipping. So today's the day. The deed is done.

Add that to my Costco trip, and I spent 1/3 the amount of our monthly rent today. And it's only the first of the month.

Ugh

7 a.m. and the kids have been up for an hour.

Hold on tight, I've got the feeling this morning might be a bit of a bumpy ride.

So, funny story . . .

Josh kept talking about his class schedule. 10 to 2, 10 to 2, 10 to 2.

I looked up his room numbers this morning before he left, but since he assured me they were 10 to 2 and also that they were both in the Talmage building, I assumed he knew what he was talking about. So I looked at the room numbers and nothing else.

BUT HE DIDN'T! His class schedule is actually 12 to 4. Silly boy. And his first class? Not in the Talmage building. Not a problem, right? Because he got there two hours early? Except he didn't go to the classroom. Until nearly 12. When he realized that there is no Room 110 in the Talmage. So he was late, despite being two hours early. I love the irony there.

Ahh, the joys of college. :-) Never assume anything, folks. Apparently it's bad for business!

Back to School, Back to School

Today is Josh's first day back at school. It's a pretty big day for us. At least it feels that way to me.

Both the boys are down for naps, and I'm home by myself with some down time. I'm going to re-run the dishwasher and wash down the cabinets and then probably do some reading.

We find out today if Josh will be able to go to Thomas' wedding (his oldest brother, who is stationed in Hawaii with the Army). Josh also got put on payroll today, so he'll be getting paid for all the work he's doing on research papers. Poor soul also gets to attend Math 112 and Math 113. He's afraid he'll be older than the instructors.

I'm still debating what to make for dinner tonight. The "what's for dinner" listing on the right is reflective of what we ate last night. And boy, was it ever yummy.

It's a happy day. I have fresh, clean new blinds on my windows. I've had yummy things to eat this morning, and some fresh air. Now if I could just get this place tidied up a bit . . .

Stop the whining!

I want to get off.

On today's docket:
Grocery store
Practice the organ for tomorrow
Wash the boys' laundry
Convince Guy to somehow get in the bathtub and let me wash his hair
Cook two more meals
Clean the house for Sunday

Josh is having a bad day today, so that means I'm on the hook for getting everything done while caring for both kids. All righty, then. Should be okay, it'll just take some extra energy.

Some days I only see in grayscale

Today it's overcast and quite a bit cooler than it was earlier this week, when Guy and I both sunburned (mom guilt).

Wednesday night we went to bed after 1 a.m. and Thursday night I kindly stayed up late with a sick husband. Then I got up in the middle of the night twice dry heaving. Still felt sick this morning. (stupid Taco Bell, serves me right I suppose)

I'm having a hard time seeing past the dishes, the no energy, the no cheese (I never realized how many of our meals involve cheese), and the amount of energy it takes to keep Guy occupied without using a TV or computer screen. And we didn't get the Community Aide position. Which is just fine, I understand, but I'm feeling a little down because now I need to try to find a way to trim our budget in an effort to keep the student loans to a minimum. Life feels so expensive when you're not earning any money. Never mind that I've found ways to make a little extra here and there, I feel so guilty for wanting to buy something I'll enjoy with it instead of, you know, diapers.

But I got a 2-hour nap this morning. Josh kindly made pancakes for Guy. Friends invited us over for a barbecue tonight. We are blessed beyond measure.

I just can't get past the grayscale.

Lessons from Laura Ingalls Wilder

Last week I read the entirety of the Little House on the Prairie series from start to finish (excluding the last book that was published posthumously). I have to admit it gave me not only something fun and quick to read, but provided quite a bit of food for thought.

Life as a pioneer was hard. The work was hard, and had to be done to survive. Just when the Ingalls family thought they had a leg up something difficult happened and they were forced to move on, or eat less, or burn straw to keep warm. The children were taught young to work and to help out of necessity.

The culture was also significantly less child-centric than we seem to be. It's the simplest example, but in Laura's family, Pa was served first, Pa opened his Christmas present first, and what Pa said was law, no arguing. I feel the desire to serve the children first, let the children choose. I'm not valuing one way over the other, I'm simply noticing.

The other thing that surprised me was the excitement I felt thinking about all the yummy food Laura describes. Rye'n'Injun bread, baked beans, fresh bread, maple candy, chicken pie, and even mashed turnips are described in such a way as to make your mouth water.

Perhaps the single most noticeable aspect of the books I noticed this time around is Laura's mention of her own conscience. She knew she must always obey, she knew she must be good, even when she felt rebellious or frustrated. She had a highly developed sense of right and wrong, something that I want to instill in my own children and even myself.

Now, the question is simply how?

"Mmm, Tasty!"

That's what Guy thinks of my new way of cooking potatoes.

Take a potato, and slice it in half length-wise. Slice into wedges or steak fries. Toss with a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Roast in the oven at 450 degrees for a half hour, or 425 for an hour, or 350 for an hour plus 20 minutes at 450. Experiment and figure out just how crispy you like them.

Devour, and enjoy.

We've eaten 16 potatoes this past week (I do 4 at a time for the 3 of us, as they are smaller potatoes). And boy, are they ever tasty.

Also, baked fish dipped in egg and breadcrumbs is also quite delightful. Add the potatoes and you've got a killer meal for not too much trouble.

750

Josh just rocked the GMAT, 98th-percentile style, like I knew he would! Woo-hoo!

Still sick

Woo-hoo! I still can't hear out of one ear. This is driving me crazy.

I'm calling the nurse's hotline again today. I don't want to go back to the Health Center (and pay another $20) but I want to be better.

Brothers

Maybe you can tell me if they look alike?

I can only tell you that they adore each other. Leo lights up whenever Guy is around, and loves to laugh.

Guy, as you can tell, adores his baby brother, too. I'm so stinking lucky to have such wonderful boys.

Umm . . .

I don't remember the diagnosis. Hemorrhaging bullous something or other. In layman's terms, some bug took up residence in the outer membrane of my eardrum and is causing blood blisters that then pop and ooze and are generally gross and painful.

Every time another pops, it sounds like firecrackers going off in my ear.

But I have antibiotics! So hopefully the blisters will be gone tomorrow. I hope.

In good news, Hell's Kitchen is on tonight! And we had Wendy's for dinner because I just plain feel pooped.

And in GREAT NEWS, Josh's paper? The one he's a co-author on? It made the TOP TEN SSRN all-topics. This means lots of people are downloading it and reading it. And he's going to be presenting the paper in August in New York City! How cool is that? That man never ceases to amaze me.

So my ear hurt something awful from about 9 pm until well into the middle of the night. When my eardrum ruptured.

Fun! More co-pays! And antibiotics!

At least it's mostly over.

Blessings

I'm a very lucky girl. The laundry fairy came last night while I was sleeping and folded six loads of laundry for me.

The dishes are all clean. We made it through the day quite tolerably.

But I got puked on. Big time. And now my ear is starting to hurt. This is day 6 of being sick, and I'm tired of it. I want to be well again, and not so awfully tired at the thought of doing anything.

Behold the Dress-Up Box

I present to you photographic evidence of why I want an awesome dress-up box. These were all taken at my parents' house.

This is Guy's cousin Connor, the madman behind most of these outfits.

Say it with me now, "SUPER HEROES!"

I'm particularly fond of the StarWars/Link/Mario combination.

P.S. Leo slept 13 1/2 hours last night. WITHOUT WAKING UP. Crazy. And now I'm engorged :-) But well rested.