First Father and Sons campout

Here is a story of two boys who got to go on their first real campout with their dad. They waited patiently all day to go. They even took naps happily, knowing the priviledge was worth sacrificing play time for. Upon returning home from work, their dad packed up their tent, cooler with drinks, food, clothes and off they went! They had lots of fun with shmashmallows and chips, playing with cousins, going to bed late, and rolling around in the dirt. The two boys awoke to a delicious breakfast of donuts and treats and more time to dig, run and check out the guns the older guys got to practice with. These two boys came home by lunch with contented faces. It was a good story. Here is the gang: Luke, Ellie holding Zane and Ethan. Whatcha lookin' at Lukester?

Ellie has learned well, must clean...even the dirt!

Photo op, daddio and Ethan.

Breakfast of champions!

Sadie and I just hung out at home...in a quiet home, waiting for our men to come back. We were so glad to see them again the next day! What a way to start the summer off. (June 19-20, 2009)

Carbloading

A meat eater is a carnivore. A vegetarian is someone who loves eating plants. What do you call someone who can't get enough carbs? Carbitarian? Breadivore, maybe? Is there a term for this? Google didn't produce anything....

I've got bread on my mind. I'm on a diet. I hate that word. And its not really true. I'm not dieting, I'm trying to drop some weight that has found its way onto my body and, as most of you know, carbs are usually off limits, or highly restricted, when you are on a diet (did I just use too many commas in that sentence?). I get it too, I understand. Carbs aren't highly nutritious unles you count sugar as a vitamin, which its not. Sorry to break it to ya. I love it when I hear dieticians talk about how we need to eat a colorful diet. Cupcakes aren't colorful? Let me ask you, which one do you want to eat more?

This one:

Or this one:

I like veggies, I really do. Especially with the right sauce. I know veggies have a certain place in my life. I'm just addicted to all things carb. "Oh give me a home where the carbohydrates freely roam...." Am I skinnier yet?

Changed my mind

Did anyone see that?

Partner in Parenthood

The progression of a father.

Steve with his firstborn, Ethan.

Steve and his second child and son, Luke.

Steve and his third child, first daughter, Sadie.

I love you, Steve!! You are the most important man in these children's lives. No other man will have as much of an impact as you will. How's that for pressure huh? Haha. You can handle it. They are in good hands. I can't believe this is your fifth Father's day already. What? You got your wish today. Both your boys went up to the front of the chapel and sang with the Primary. Wasn't that one of the best feelings ever? I thought I was going to cry more than I did. I didn't believe Luke would go up there but he did. You convinced him. Wasn't it adorable watching him walk up hand in hand with Ethan? Ethan is such a good brother. Those two are great kids. And then Sadie snuggling with you at dinner, that was a picture I want in my head forever. Isn't that one of the best feelings ever too? I think five should be the cut off age, no growing beyond that. You're a great father.

Love you,

Your wife

What's for dinner?

This is a dreaded question. My kids don't really ask it yet, I just dread trying to figure out the answer. I go through times when I'm really organized and I plan out our entire month. Then other times, like this week, I don't plan anything and then each day is an agonizing debate in my head. Can't we just eat at Stonefire every night? Pllllleeeeeeeeeeeeease? So in an effort to get back on top of things I'm posting my menu here. Its always flexible and sometimes I don't stick to it exactly, tweak it hear and there at the last minute. But its nice to just have a plan. I'd love to hear what you're having for dinner. Th 6/18 - TJ's sundried tomato pesto pasta with chicken, salad F 6/19 - hubs and boys at campout so I'll eat whatever S 6/20 - homemade pizza or blts with TJ's sweet potato fries Su 6/21 - Father's Day, Steve requested strombolis M 6/22 - grilled steaks, blt salad with avocado dressing T 6/23 - chicken kebabs (red onion, mushroom, zucchini, pineapple), black beans and rice W 6/24 - mock bolognese Th 6/25 - homemade pizza F 6/26 - sister's birthday probably out Sa 6/27 - mock cafe rio salads with creamy cilantro lime dressing Su 6/28 - family dinner, don't know who is in charge yet M 6/29 - potstickers and asian noodle salad or my fried rice T 6/30 - grilled chicken or salmon and pasta salad W 7/1 - shepherds pie Th 7/2 - leftovers F 7/3 - grilled cheese and beef stew Sa 7/4 - grilling, maybe ribs; potato salad, chips or s.p. fries

32

I've been carrying this picture around in my bag for a few years now. Its got crease marks and is about to tear because I've never laminated it or anything like that. I should. I carry it around and pull it out to look at every now and then. This is the man I married. You might think thats scary, I guess its up for interpretation. He's actually being very silly in this picture. I remember what we were doing and where we were. We were camping with my family. He put on these glasses that were too small, or maybe they are goggles, and the monster was created...picture snapped. He's such a nut. Happy Birthday, hubs. Thanks for bringing a little more pizazz to my life.

7 months, any resemblance?

For Sadie's seven months post I thought I'd include a picture of me. The first few are of Sadie. I tried to get a picture of her but most of them were fuzzy since she wouldn't stop kicking and moving. She's not crawling yet. She scoots a little bit but mostly just to turn around. She has started having her tongue out all the time. Its kind of funny. I was glad to capture it here. She has her two front teeth on the bottom and I think her top two might be coming soon so maybe that's where the tongue comes from.

I love this little girlie. She is such a happy little girl. She sleeps so well, two naps during the day and sleeps all night long (please don't change that!). She sucks her two middle fingers to go to sleep. I keep trying to get her to take the pacifier instead but she just spits it out. :)

This is my picture. I'm not quite sure how old I am but it looks pretty close. Steve thinks Sadie looks a lot like me.

Grad and his cake

A few weeks ago we went up to Vegas for my BIL's graduation from Dental School and the blessing of their newest addition, Evan. We LOVED being with all the family and playing with the cousins. One day my boys were in the pool for seriously four or five hours. I could not believe it. My SIL asked me to make a cake for the party. I told her to not have very high expectations. I'm so glad she liked it. She told me she liked it more than her own wedding cake....too nice. Congrats, Allen!!

Do it all? What?

I have a long to do list. That's not news. Every day is a long to do list. Some items are new but most are just part of the daily grind (i.e. laundry, dirty dishes that need cleaning, floor mopping, bathroom scrubbing, bed making, etc. etc. etc. etc.). Every day I walk a fine line. Its the motherhood line. Do I play with the kids? Or fold laundry? Do I read some books to my kids or have dinner ready "on time?" I feel like most days I completely flop on my face. Let's be real, my kids are always the first priority but where is the balance? Most days I can't concentrate on anything unless I have the basics done. The definition of basics changes with each mom, I've learned. But I've also learned that most moms feel the same. I am haunted by the possibility that my children's most poignant memory will be of me saying "Not now, I need to do such and such." Every once in a while the day comes to an end and miraculously I feel good about it. I feel that I've juggled everything just right. I hope my kids remember those days. Then there are the days when I wonder, what about me? I get bitten by the running-out-of-time bug. I want to go back to school, I want to have a career, I want to figure out what my dreams are and do them. Thankfully, I have help. I have a great mom. Even better, my kids have a great grandma. Around here we call her Vovo (missing the appropriate accents for the portuguese language). Today (she does this often) she has taken the boys so I can try to accomplish one or two tasks. Before she left with my two favorite boys she said "read this" and plopped an edition of the Mormon Times on my counter, appropriately opened to an article titled 'Women do it all - in sequence.' I sat down with my breakfast and read. It was like someone had disected my brain and put it on paper. I want you to read it. I know I'll be checking in with her regularly. Tiffany Lewis - Women do it all - in sequence (titled differently on the web version)

13.1

I did it. I finished. Somehow I managed to shave off 9 minutes from my first half time. In 2007 I ran this half marathon in 2:37. My time this year was 2:28. I was in a lot more pain this time. After about three or four miles I decided to do walking intervals. So I ran for 6 minutes (sometimes longer depending on how I was feeling) and walked 1 minute, repeat often. My family came down to cheer me on. The first person I saw was my mom. Thanks Mom!! She was right at the top of my first (and the most steep) hill. I ran right by her. The next people I saw were my sister Ev and her family. They were all dressed up for church but they were there cheering me on. My little nieces were so cute saying "Go Tia Mimi!!" Not long after them I saw Steve and the kids. He had his hands full with the three of them but it was so fun to see them there, especially since I had already run 10 miles by this point so they gave me the extra energy to finish. By mile 11 I was dying! I had just finished another hill and this one was long. Thankgoodness for a water station. I gulped down some kind of Gatorade concoction and was off. Then I saw my sister Mae and her family. She's the one I got these pictures from. Thanks Mae!! Right as I entered the last .1 of the marathon I saw Steve again with the kiddos. I got my extra kick from them. Thanks hunners. Next time I want someone to run with. Next time I am going to make myself a shirt or something much cooler than my old collection of free t-shirts from old races etc. Next time I will shave off one more minute, at least. When will the next time be? I'm not sure. Maybe October for Long Beach? Maybe next year at the OC again? We'll see....