COUSINS!

Well, Could it have been more fun? Nope, I don't think so. Nathan and Clara are, were, and forever will be the best! We had a great time. The feast was scrumptious and Uncle Ern has a play house in his back yard surrounded by a sea of just firm enough mud - what bliss. We spent Friday at the zoo and rode the carousel - wow! In between the kids just PLAYED hard. Emily and Nathan are inseparable and Clara allowed us to celebrate her birthday, more food!

Enjoy zoo pictures.

what we have been doing

I read in an airline magazine article that for a blog to be "great" one should post 3 times a week. I fail - sorry.

Anyhow, here is what we have been up to while not blogging.

Sewing a totally impractical apron for cousin Clara's 2nd birthday. I believe in impractical gifts, especially gifts with ruffles.

Admiring Emily in her stunning and totally realistic portrayal of a Pilgrim in this year's Pre-school Thanksgiving program.

One of my favorite things in the world is to catch Emmy's eye and make her smile - no words, just smiles. She sparkles.

Celebrating Issac's birthday. He found the candle mesmerizing.

Blowing out candles - a grand birthday.

In other news, Diana has missed the last two days of school because of a fever. I totally feel like the school does not believe me when I say she is sick, but thinks I am lying because it's the week of Thanksgiving and I must have her out for traveling, fun, and frivolity. I don't like it when people think I am lying. Oh well.

We are anxiously waiting for Uncle David and Aunt Sherrie to get here. I feel like I've hit the visiting jackpot this year. David and Sherrie for Thanksgiving, Mom and Dad in February, and Jess and Brian in March - yipeeeeeeee!

very pretty and very exciting

Heather and Leroy came over last night to watch the kids and put them to bed, so I could go to Enrichment (Bette-Sue from season #5 of the Biggest Loser, she used to be in our ward - her daughter won - it was fun). Anyhow, I got home and there was this rose in a cup on the counter. It's a John F. Kennedy rose from Aunt Elizabeth's bush and it has been incredibly beautiful all day as it has opened. It also smells divine. Thanks Heather - WOW!









Now for the VERY, VERY, VEEEEEERRRRRRRYYYYY exciting news. . . . . . . I am turning into my mother. TaDa. Yes, it's true. I too cannot stand to have a loose tooth in the house and not pull it out, and so Diana was extremely brave and let me pull out her tooth. She did not cry, wince, yelp, pull away, or get mad at me afterwards. She is totally earned that quarter the tooth fairy told me she was bringing. Here she is in all her glory with her very own tooth pillow. (Emily and Nora are already planning their own tooth pillow designs). While Diana was walking around with a washcloth in her mouth after the extraction, Nora wandered into the room with the dish towel in her mouth. She's a cutey, but does not want the tooth fairy to come into her room. Nora is pretty sensitive about bedtime and her room and change.

Anyhow, I am exceedingly proud of Diana and proud to be tuning into my mom. Only 79 teeth left to yank from my 4 kids.

dinner

Isaac had his well visit this afternoon (all is well, big and healthy, 4 shots). We got home from the doctor and the girl pick-ups about 3:30 and dove right into after school snacks. But a snack was not enough, we needed MORE! So, we made dinner. . . at about 4:15. French toast.

Emily under the table, she cannot stay in her chair a full meal.

We found out today that the cardiologist does want to see her (about that opera in her heart - read all about it back in September, I think) and according to my friend Steph, who knows a thing or two about pediatric cardiology visits, a wiggly Emily should be interesting. I guess they have to hold pretty still for one of the standard tests they do.

Diana is a cinnamon maniac. She has it on her french (should that be capitalized?) toast, pancakes, toast and anything else that will hold still. She licked the top of the shaker tonight and I just about gagged and then gave her "the look". I think she understood.

I think this is the first picture I have taken of Nora in the last year where she is not doing the HUGE grin. Nora is not a big French (better do a cap, just in case the French are touchy) Toast fan.

Isaac, not a very manly man about his shots. Oh well.

man child

Isaac is one. We didn't celebrate today because Ryan is gone, but we did sing and I reflected. It seems like Isaac has been with us so much longer than a year and I really, really, OK, realllllllllly love this boy. He makes me super happy and, as I told him today as I changed his diaper, I am so glad and grateful he came to us.

Life is sweet. Diana has her first loose tooth, Emily gave me the cutest little wave from the front row of Primary when I sneaked in for closing exercises, Nora tells me un-prompted that she loves me, and it always catches me off guard and melts my heart. Ryan rocks. He told me today he has been praying for me while he is away and I feel it and am grateful for the extra help and calmness I feel as we go through a dad-less week.

bonnet movies

The weather here had been loverly, autumnal and cool - ahhhh. We were on a walk yesterday running errands and in a visit with my friend Kelli, we decided it's time to watch "Pride and Prejudice" again, the end all be all of what Joyce and Joseph call bonnet movies. You know, "North and South", "Emma" (the Gweneth one), "Wives and Daughters", "Sense and Sensibility" and of course, "P&P". Unlike most, I love both the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth romp and the Kiera Knightly thing. The more the merrier, say I.

What is it about Autumn that awakes the urge to revisit these classics? Is it the fantasizing about wearing a lovely face framing bonnet, empire dress and one of those really cute short jackets. Do I just really like Mr.Darcy's long coat in "P&P"? Is it just because England never looks hot, so watching it in the Summer is just insulting? I don't know. But I do know that Ryan is going to Japan for a week on Saturday and so I have several evenings to myself. I think I'll start the season with the six hour classic "P&P" and see where that takes me.

My kids go to bed at 7, so I anticipate a 7:30 start time. All are welcome. I'm glad Fall is here.

Boston

Ryan had an alumni conference in Cambridge, Mass this last weekend and my fantastic in-laws came out to watch the kids so I could go. If you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted in Boston, all by yourself, what would you choose? I chose the John Adams homes and library and the museum of fine art - ahh. It was a lovely day. Ryan had a good conference and it was great to see some friends. On Saturday before our flight we hit the JFK museum and library (honestly, a bit disappointing as far as presidential libraries go, but still very interesting). We even got to eat some chowder - yummy.

The oldest if the 3 Adams houses.

The Adams library. The son of John Quincy Adams built this to house his father's books. It's made almost all out of stone, including the roof, so it would be fire-proof. John Q. could read and write 13 languages and speak 9 of those!


This was our church building.

It was very nice of them to leave some leaves up for us.

The Charles River

props, elections, and naps

Yipee CA and AZ. Well done passing prop 8 and prop 102, the marriage initiatives (I got my info from the secretary of state sites - hopefully accurate). I know our family in California has worked tirelessly to help educate their neighbors and co-workers in order to get prop 8 passed, and I know it was not always pleasant. Even in our own little Mormon ward here in AZ some people's 102 signs have suffered "harsh" treatment. Anyhow, I'm proud of you CA and AZ. As Mr. Banks says in Mary Poppins "Tradition, discipline and rules, must be the tools. Without them: disorder, chaos, anarchy, moral disintegration. In short, you have a ghastly mess! AMEN.

p.s. I'm glad the election is over, it was exhausting. I can only imagine how the candidates and staff feel. Indivisible, with liberty and NAPS for all, say I.

Halloween etc...

Halloween was great. The girls ate candy ALL day today (Saturday), especially Nora, which surprised me, since she doesn't usually even finish her cookie. Nobody "got" Ryan's, Isaac's and my Calvin, Hobbes, and Susie Derkins get-ups (I printed t-shirts). So in no particular order, and for Aunt Rosie and Uncle Stephen because I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE them, here are some pictures of Belle, Supergirl, Cinderella, Calvin, Hobbes, Susie Derkins and the CANDY.