If you're bored and bloghopping, take a look. Today's post refers you to yet another post I highly recommend:
http://mamamelodrama.blogspot.com/2008/01/post-i-didnt-have-to-write.html
I understand that this is inefficient and shameless, and take full credit for it.
Valerie
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Happy Family Birthday!
Our family celebrates the completion of 15 years today. This means bowling and birthday cake, but as it's Sunday, we did the bowling part yesterday.
We only go bowling once a year because it is expensive, and we tell ourselves it makes Family Birthday more special that way. I got the same score as Sophie. That would be 84. She had bumpers, though, so I'm going to hold onto that along with my dignity. Grandpa, however, was beaten by all children, including Ben, Sophie, Noah and the combined game of my 3YO niece Morgan and Lucy, who played alternately. Like me, he can hold onto that fact that they had bumpers.
We are here in lovely, white Utah, where even the angle of the sun and the way the trees move on a windy day like today is so familiar. Bountiful looks older and a little unkempt in places, and it's odd to drive up the east bench onto one of the the multi-million McMansion drives simply to overlook a desolate valley dominated by the refinery, but it is winter.
Do I want to come back? Yes, every time I do the bills. When that time of the month rolls around and it's time again to pay in rent 2-3x what people here pay for their mortgages, I do. When I dream of starting a real garden, one that would sustain canning and plenty of family togetherness in the form of work, then I do. When I see my kids playing with their cousins and enjoying their grandparents and the snow, when I chat with my cousin Kim and California expatriates the Mosses and the Oaks, and see what good friends I have here. There is a big part of me that feels like this is home, that feels more at ease and less tense here.
But there is another part of me, the me of today, which feels like East Pasadena is more my home, that feels like my ward family there is as much my family in some ways. Just living daily life is harder there (in CA) to some extent, but life has gotten harder here, too. Part of me wonders if the idea I have of the Bountiful I would come back to is mixed up with a Bountiful in the past that doesn't exist anymore. It's not like kids can just go out and play in the front yard here anymore than they can there--the world has changed that way.
There is something about being here in Utah that I can't put my finger on, but that I think wouldn't be ideal for our family. I don't know what it is. Like our friend Marlo said after being surprised to find David and I were both from Bountiful, "You guys just don't seem like Bountiful people."
But I love Bountiful people, and the house I grew up imagining I'd have is a Bountiful house. But I think that maybe there is more room for our weirdness outside in the wild. In Pasadena, we almost, almost seem normal, and I feel like that would be unattainable here. And I speculate that Ben's differences are probably better handled in a place where there is so much more difference in so many areas that even kids are more tolerant.
I tell myself I'm above peer pressure and feeling like I "should" be something, but I worry I'd lose myself a bit coming back. And maybe that's just it, maybe you just can't go back, like they say. It would feel a little bit like regressing, because I'm so different from the person that left here almost 12 years ago. In California, I can breathe (the smoggy air) and feel at ease among the other crazies like me (no offense to all my CA friends). And also, in my most focused, centered and spiritual moments, I feel like we are supposed to be there in Pasadena.
So I guess it comes down to feeling financially at ease or psychologically and spiritually at ease.
All of this is moot, of course, because however my husband humors my musings on the topic, when my meandering monologue is over, he gives a tired smile, breathes heavily and moves onto another topic as if I'd never spoken. As if to say "Here in your Hotel California, you can check out (mentally) anytime you want, but you can never leave."
CA is home.
We only go bowling once a year because it is expensive, and we tell ourselves it makes Family Birthday more special that way. I got the same score as Sophie. That would be 84. She had bumpers, though, so I'm going to hold onto that along with my dignity. Grandpa, however, was beaten by all children, including Ben, Sophie, Noah and the combined game of my 3YO niece Morgan and Lucy, who played alternately. Like me, he can hold onto that fact that they had bumpers.
We are here in lovely, white Utah, where even the angle of the sun and the way the trees move on a windy day like today is so familiar. Bountiful looks older and a little unkempt in places, and it's odd to drive up the east bench onto one of the the multi-million McMansion drives simply to overlook a desolate valley dominated by the refinery, but it is winter.
Do I want to come back? Yes, every time I do the bills. When that time of the month rolls around and it's time again to pay in rent 2-3x what people here pay for their mortgages, I do. When I dream of starting a real garden, one that would sustain canning and plenty of family togetherness in the form of work, then I do. When I see my kids playing with their cousins and enjoying their grandparents and the snow, when I chat with my cousin Kim and California expatriates the Mosses and the Oaks, and see what good friends I have here. There is a big part of me that feels like this is home, that feels more at ease and less tense here.
But there is another part of me, the me of today, which feels like East Pasadena is more my home, that feels like my ward family there is as much my family in some ways. Just living daily life is harder there (in CA) to some extent, but life has gotten harder here, too. Part of me wonders if the idea I have of the Bountiful I would come back to is mixed up with a Bountiful in the past that doesn't exist anymore. It's not like kids can just go out and play in the front yard here anymore than they can there--the world has changed that way.
There is something about being here in Utah that I can't put my finger on, but that I think wouldn't be ideal for our family. I don't know what it is. Like our friend Marlo said after being surprised to find David and I were both from Bountiful, "You guys just don't seem like Bountiful people."
But I love Bountiful people, and the house I grew up imagining I'd have is a Bountiful house. But I think that maybe there is more room for our weirdness outside in the wild. In Pasadena, we almost, almost seem normal, and I feel like that would be unattainable here. And I speculate that Ben's differences are probably better handled in a place where there is so much more difference in so many areas that even kids are more tolerant.
I tell myself I'm above peer pressure and feeling like I "should" be something, but I worry I'd lose myself a bit coming back. And maybe that's just it, maybe you just can't go back, like they say. It would feel a little bit like regressing, because I'm so different from the person that left here almost 12 years ago. In California, I can breathe (the smoggy air) and feel at ease among the other crazies like me (no offense to all my CA friends). And also, in my most focused, centered and spiritual moments, I feel like we are supposed to be there in Pasadena.
So I guess it comes down to feeling financially at ease or psychologically and spiritually at ease.
All of this is moot, of course, because however my husband humors my musings on the topic, when my meandering monologue is over, he gives a tired smile, breathes heavily and moves onto another topic as if I'd never spoken. As if to say "Here in your Hotel California, you can check out (mentally) anytime you want, but you can never leave."
CA is home.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Down with moderation!
Everyone who knows me knows that I do not believe in the idea of "moderation in all things." First of all, if this were true, it would be healthy and legal for me to take a moderate amount of heroin on a daily basis. Second of all, it is only in those manic, bursts of focused energy that I accomplish anything in my life.
Which is why I didn't do anything really this week besides doing web programing and designing new sites and getting ideas for other new sites. I'm in a very creative mood these days, which is fun and also tends to exclude all other activities (except eating chocolate). Maybe I'll fall into a pathetic mopey phase later, but it feels good to be accomplishing things that are tangible and linear and cannot be undone by small people in under five minutes.
It's not that I mind cleaning the kitchen or sweeping the floor, but it is how soon and how often I have to do it again, and again, and again that's the problem. The circular pattern of life is not soothing to me, it is crazy-making. I've had children 8 years and I still find myself thinking, "You need to eat again? Seriously? Three times a day, you say?" Linear, check-off-and-move-on momentum on concrete projects of interest are the barriers between me and the house on the hill and the white jacket.
Am I being a little too open with my mental illness here?
Okay, then we'll move on.
The Suburban Harvest website is up but the forms aren't working. The forms are in a mailto: format which is lamer than lame, but I need to learn a little more before I can fix them.
I taught Relief Society today, covering the intro to the new Joseph Smith manual, his life chronology, plus the first chapter of "Life and Ministry" suffice it to say, we nixed the practice song and still got out 5 minutes late. We reviewed his life and all he accomplished in 24 years before he was killed. For each item in his life, I wrote on one side of the board all that was accomplished (first vision, revelation, restoration of the priesthood, organization of the church and its leadership, temples built and templework begun) and on the other, all the hard stuff (poverty, crop failures, no educational opportunities, loss of children, loss of friends, intense persecution, and eventually being killed). I drew a map of the eastern US on the board and we drew lines for all of his (constant) moving around.
We talked about how the world doesn't understand the impact of the first list, and how it just looks confusing and chaotic from a worldly view. But, once God confirms to you that the restored gospel is true, it's clear that it was truly the long, painful labor to bring the restored church into the world.
In the end, we talked about how just like this random and indirect and painful process that restored the gospel to the earth, our own random, indirect and painful wanderings in life also serve to bring about the purposes for which we were sent here. I think the lesson went well, but it was mainly lecture and not discussion because it was that first lesson with the liturgy of historical facts.
It's real folks, it's true, and if you don't believe me, ask the Lord about it.
Anyway, kids are doing well. Sophie is having this thing where she doesn't want to go to school anymore and it's a fight to get her to go. We are going to Utah on Wednesday, so I've tried to persuade her that the 8 days we're taking off really makes it so we can't miss. She is starting to sing more and has great pitch and memory for songs. I just love singing with her. We listed to Carmen today after church and she was singing along--oh, can I just push on you my life dreams, little daughter?
Ben went with his dad and the scouts on Saturday on a long, 7 mile hike in Joshua Tree. They had a great time, and that kind of thing is so good for him. I realize how fast he'll be grown. David's grandpa said that once you get to 14, it's over. If you haven't taught them what they need to know by then, it's too late, and all you can do is preserve the relationship. I sometimes feel he's already there. But even if that's true, that's only six years from now.
Noah has been out of sorts this week. I think he has a low-level bug, same with Lucy, and me, and David. He cries easily and just looks pale. He refuses to eat anything that is that good for him, as in fruits and veggies. I need to get back to the regular alternating oatmeal and smoothies for breakfast after our trip and focus on their nutrition. We usually aren't hit so hard by the cold/flu season, and I am sure our lax diet is part of the reason.
Lucy, aside from the constantly running nose, come-and-go cough, the come-and-go fevers, is happy and very active, now a big climber, always on top of furniture. Yes, I did take her to the doctor after much harassment from my husband, and the doctor said it was a cold and acted (albeit politely) like I should know better after four kids than to bring her in for that. But like I said, we're not used to being always sick. She's just buzzing around, working hard at nothing, most of the day. She enjoys the park and is very independent.
David is good and sweet. I like him a lot. I totally like him. Do you think he likes me? Ask him if he likes me. No, don't. DON'T. He's totally too cool for me. No way.
So, Next Sunday is the big #15 anniversary. When we got married he was asked on video what he wanted to say to his posterity. He said romantically, "Um, we thought this was a good idea at the time."
As for me, I still think it was a pretty good idea, and if I harass him, he will admit he thinks so, too.
Which is why I didn't do anything really this week besides doing web programing and designing new sites and getting ideas for other new sites. I'm in a very creative mood these days, which is fun and also tends to exclude all other activities (except eating chocolate). Maybe I'll fall into a pathetic mopey phase later, but it feels good to be accomplishing things that are tangible and linear and cannot be undone by small people in under five minutes.
It's not that I mind cleaning the kitchen or sweeping the floor, but it is how soon and how often I have to do it again, and again, and again that's the problem. The circular pattern of life is not soothing to me, it is crazy-making. I've had children 8 years and I still find myself thinking, "You need to eat again? Seriously? Three times a day, you say?" Linear, check-off-and-move-on momentum on concrete projects of interest are the barriers between me and the house on the hill and the white jacket.
Am I being a little too open with my mental illness here?
Okay, then we'll move on.
The Suburban Harvest website is up but the forms aren't working. The forms are in a mailto: format which is lamer than lame, but I need to learn a little more before I can fix them.
I taught Relief Society today, covering the intro to the new Joseph Smith manual, his life chronology, plus the first chapter of "Life and Ministry" suffice it to say, we nixed the practice song and still got out 5 minutes late. We reviewed his life and all he accomplished in 24 years before he was killed. For each item in his life, I wrote on one side of the board all that was accomplished (first vision, revelation, restoration of the priesthood, organization of the church and its leadership, temples built and templework begun) and on the other, all the hard stuff (poverty, crop failures, no educational opportunities, loss of children, loss of friends, intense persecution, and eventually being killed). I drew a map of the eastern US on the board and we drew lines for all of his (constant) moving around.
We talked about how the world doesn't understand the impact of the first list, and how it just looks confusing and chaotic from a worldly view. But, once God confirms to you that the restored gospel is true, it's clear that it was truly the long, painful labor to bring the restored church into the world.
In the end, we talked about how just like this random and indirect and painful process that restored the gospel to the earth, our own random, indirect and painful wanderings in life also serve to bring about the purposes for which we were sent here. I think the lesson went well, but it was mainly lecture and not discussion because it was that first lesson with the liturgy of historical facts.
It's real folks, it's true, and if you don't believe me, ask the Lord about it.
Anyway, kids are doing well. Sophie is having this thing where she doesn't want to go to school anymore and it's a fight to get her to go. We are going to Utah on Wednesday, so I've tried to persuade her that the 8 days we're taking off really makes it so we can't miss. She is starting to sing more and has great pitch and memory for songs. I just love singing with her. We listed to Carmen today after church and she was singing along--oh, can I just push on you my life dreams, little daughter?
Ben went with his dad and the scouts on Saturday on a long, 7 mile hike in Joshua Tree. They had a great time, and that kind of thing is so good for him. I realize how fast he'll be grown. David's grandpa said that once you get to 14, it's over. If you haven't taught them what they need to know by then, it's too late, and all you can do is preserve the relationship. I sometimes feel he's already there. But even if that's true, that's only six years from now.
Noah has been out of sorts this week. I think he has a low-level bug, same with Lucy, and me, and David. He cries easily and just looks pale. He refuses to eat anything that is that good for him, as in fruits and veggies. I need to get back to the regular alternating oatmeal and smoothies for breakfast after our trip and focus on their nutrition. We usually aren't hit so hard by the cold/flu season, and I am sure our lax diet is part of the reason.
Lucy, aside from the constantly running nose, come-and-go cough, the come-and-go fevers, is happy and very active, now a big climber, always on top of furniture. Yes, I did take her to the doctor after much harassment from my husband, and the doctor said it was a cold and acted (albeit politely) like I should know better after four kids than to bring her in for that. But like I said, we're not used to being always sick. She's just buzzing around, working hard at nothing, most of the day. She enjoys the park and is very independent.
David is good and sweet. I like him a lot. I totally like him. Do you think he likes me? Ask him if he likes me. No, don't. DON'T. He's totally too cool for me. No way.
So, Next Sunday is the big #15 anniversary. When we got married he was asked on video what he wanted to say to his posterity. He said romantically, "Um, we thought this was a good idea at the time."
As for me, I still think it was a pretty good idea, and if I harass him, he will admit he thinks so, too.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Val writes her congressman (and the newspapers, and all the candidates)
Here is my beef with the state of the nation for today. This is my letter I wrote to pretty much everyone today (this copy went to the presidential candidates). Agree with me or not, whatev. But if you do happen to agree, write your representative! If you don't, love me anyway.
---
A New York Times article today about increasing foreign investment touched a nerve that has been getting more raw for me over the past months which I feel should be part of the election debate:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/business/20invest.html?hp
I am an independent, and I actually am fine with most immigration, as most of us got here that way one way or the other, and the land we're protecting once belonged to many of those we're protecting it from anyway.
But we are so distracted by concern about Mexicans coming over the border to pick our fruit and clean our houses that we are failing to notice thousands of non-citizens buying up land and homes in the US, taking advantage of a weak dollar and an ailing economy.
While working Southern Californians like me can never hope to own a home here, wealthy investors from foreign nations are snapping up (even over-priced) property with ease, making the American dream even more distant for regular American families like ours.
At the same time, we allow investment firms operated by Arab nations to "save" our nation's banks and corporations, assuming the benefit of propping our tumbling stocks will outweigh the long-term impact. Our government continues to borrow money from some of these same nations, even those with vast idealogical differences, to support our spending habits. The years ahead will show how short-sighted this is.
THIS PROBLEM WILL HAVE MUCH MORE LONG-TERM IMPACT on Americans' lives than illegal immigration of low-skilled and migrant workers doing our unpleasant work. This needs urgent attention. If Americans were aware of the extent and the pace of this investment, they would be alarmed, whether they leaned left or right. Action needs to be taken to protect our ability to have our own home, and not just rent our American homes from foreign and immigrant landlords, however nice they may be.
As a candidate, as a senator, and if you win the White House, please protect American land for American citizens and start now to set strict limits on the purchase of American property by non citizens. Please don’t wait until after the election, but help make this a needed part of the election discussion.
---
A New York Times article today about increasing foreign investment touched a nerve that has been getting more raw for me over the past months which I feel should be part of the election debate:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/business/20invest.html?hp
I am an independent, and I actually am fine with most immigration, as most of us got here that way one way or the other, and the land we're protecting once belonged to many of those we're protecting it from anyway.
But we are so distracted by concern about Mexicans coming over the border to pick our fruit and clean our houses that we are failing to notice thousands of non-citizens buying up land and homes in the US, taking advantage of a weak dollar and an ailing economy.
While working Southern Californians like me can never hope to own a home here, wealthy investors from foreign nations are snapping up (even over-priced) property with ease, making the American dream even more distant for regular American families like ours.
At the same time, we allow investment firms operated by Arab nations to "save" our nation's banks and corporations, assuming the benefit of propping our tumbling stocks will outweigh the long-term impact. Our government continues to borrow money from some of these same nations, even those with vast idealogical differences, to support our spending habits. The years ahead will show how short-sighted this is.
THIS PROBLEM WILL HAVE MUCH MORE LONG-TERM IMPACT on Americans' lives than illegal immigration of low-skilled and migrant workers doing our unpleasant work. This needs urgent attention. If Americans were aware of the extent and the pace of this investment, they would be alarmed, whether they leaned left or right. Action needs to be taken to protect our ability to have our own home, and not just rent our American homes from foreign and immigrant landlords, however nice they may be.
As a candidate, as a senator, and if you win the White House, please protect American land for American citizens and start now to set strict limits on the purchase of American property by non citizens. Please don’t wait until after the election, but help make this a needed part of the election discussion.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
More Required Reading
This week I was full of good intentions, got sick, did not do much of anything, and have about that much to show for it. The Suburban Harvest website is still close but not done, although I did line up Food Bank centers who are really excited about the project, as fresh produce is hard to come by. I really need to get that on line this week.
Noah made me laugh today because he kept saying goodbye to his church friends by saying, "Goodbye, alligator." Doesn't quite get the catchy rhyme requirement.
So, you are hereby strong-armed into to joining me on my new parenting blog. I recognize that those of you who know me will find the fact I'm writing a parenting blog either ironic, frightening or hilarious. But that is why it is a fun blog to visit. There are plenty of expert sites out there telling you how to parent, but not so many that make you feel like a better parent just by reading.
I'm also taking submissions for entries--anything real, unassuming, amusing and maybe even mildly humiliating, that includes one practical idea that has proven successful on at least one occasion (even if it is likely to never happen again). I'm shamelessly asking you to visit the site, comment on the site, and most of all, tell everyone you know about the site.
I'm doing this for the following reasons:
1. I think sharing real parenting experiences is sometimes more helpful than reading expert advice.
2. I find it healthy (or at least cathartic) to air my dirty laundry in a semi-anonymous setting
3. Maybe someone out there will take comfort in my effort to not hide how crazy it is at my place and realize they’re not alone.
4. I like writing, but I like the comments and feedback--it's no fun to talk to myself (although I do).
5. If I get hits it will say, "Hey, Three Rivers Press, people read this person's stuff so publish her book already." Then I can check that one off, and learn to fly a helicopter, play the cello, knit, speak Spanish, lumber through a sprint triathalon, and then I'll be free to die.
I’m hoping to now cash in all my good Karma from never sending spam and never asking people to forward anything to anyone. Forward this with your favorable comments to your whole address book and I am sure something fabulous will happen to you sometime in the next 5-10 years.
Come, visit, make comments, send submissions. Happy, sane parenting!
http://mamamelodrama.blogspot.com/
Noah made me laugh today because he kept saying goodbye to his church friends by saying, "Goodbye, alligator." Doesn't quite get the catchy rhyme requirement.
So, you are hereby strong-armed into to joining me on my new parenting blog. I recognize that those of you who know me will find the fact I'm writing a parenting blog either ironic, frightening or hilarious. But that is why it is a fun blog to visit. There are plenty of expert sites out there telling you how to parent, but not so many that make you feel like a better parent just by reading.
I'm also taking submissions for entries--anything real, unassuming, amusing and maybe even mildly humiliating, that includes one practical idea that has proven successful on at least one occasion (even if it is likely to never happen again). I'm shamelessly asking you to visit the site, comment on the site, and most of all, tell everyone you know about the site.
I'm doing this for the following reasons:
1. I think sharing real parenting experiences is sometimes more helpful than reading expert advice.
2. I find it healthy (or at least cathartic) to air my dirty laundry in a semi-anonymous setting
3. Maybe someone out there will take comfort in my effort to not hide how crazy it is at my place and realize they’re not alone.
4. I like writing, but I like the comments and feedback--it's no fun to talk to myself (although I do).
5. If I get hits it will say, "Hey, Three Rivers Press, people read this person's stuff so publish her book already." Then I can check that one off, and learn to fly a helicopter, play the cello, knit, speak Spanish, lumber through a sprint triathalon, and then I'll be free to die.
I’m hoping to now cash in all my good Karma from never sending spam and never asking people to forward anything to anyone. Forward this with your favorable comments to your whole address book and I am sure something fabulous will happen to you sometime in the next 5-10 years.
Come, visit, make comments, send submissions. Happy, sane parenting!
http://mamamelodrama.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 6, 2008
A Fresh Start
Happy New Year! Do you like my new pic on the blog? This year that little trist will have taken place 20 YEARS AGO. Craziness!
I am not looking forward to getting back into the school routine, the laziness has been very nice.
David worked hard on the scout fundraiser all day on Jan 1 & 2, raking in piles of dough to support his program, but stretching out the illness he had before that due to many hours of exertion outside, so he's all cuddled up in jammies today doing crosswords.
Lucy is a little firecracker--since she is underweight and has problems with dairy and soy, she is nursed whenever she wants. Because when she cries hard she starts to have lung issues and wheeze, she is sometimes placated regardless of whether or not it is the best idea. She wakes up at night, wants to nurse and sleep with me all the time, is still easily toted in an infant carseat and still sleeps in a boppy in her crib (for that three hours a day she will stay in her crib--2 napping and 1 at night). Somehow through all of this she has come to feel that she should have whatever she wants whenever she wants. I'm trying to explain to her that she is 19 months old, not 6 months old. Her church behavior today was, I feel, a preview to many sabbath wrestling matches to come.
Noah has been a little bored over the holidays sometimes and has watched too much TV. Potty training is not going so well again, and I thought we'd turned a corner. He sleeps great, I'll give him that. And he's hilarious and sweet and adorable. I need to write down the things he says more often, he gets me laughing almost every day.
Sophie has really enjoyed being home, it has been so nice having her around. She wrote a fully illustrated book about Santa Claus yesterday that was just wonderful, with creative pictures and spelling. She's just a joy.
I am embarrassed to say that all I do in my spare time right now is blog. I'd forgotten how much I love writing. Where am I blogging? You might ask? I'm blogging a tiny bit on suburbanharvest.blogspot.com and two other sites that aren't yet open to the public, but will be soon. I'll tell you about those more next week, when one will be ready and I'll shamelessly ask you to send it to everyone you know. Although I'm very entertained by and learn a lot from several blogs, there is something so egotistical and voyeuristic about blogging. Still, for writing addicts like myself, the ability to self-publish is dangerous. I'm posting like crazy, loving it, and don't even have public sites. Silly, silly Valerie.
Benjamin has had some great time hanging out with his dad, he really thrives on that and is starting to turn a corner in his development where he wants less to romp and play as to be with his dad. For instance, on the 31st, I decided to take the kids to the zoo while David did fundraising prep. Ben chose errands with dad. Here are some zoo pics:
Sophie (with conspicuously missing teeth) and a lion, who had just roared! I never thought I'd hear a lion roar in the zoo! It was loud and intense and amazing. Noah was a little freaked out.
Here is a koala. They were all out and easy to see. I'd been to the zoo a lot but never had seen the koalas well. The ones I took of koalas and my kids were blurry, so here's just a plain one.
A parent and baby giraffe!
Noah attacking a hippo on the zoo playground.
Sophie being a monkey, as she is wont to do.
Eli and Noah both used this phone booth as a fancy VIP Seat for the parade. This is me, Sophie, Noah and our friends Thomas and Kath Chamberlain. The Chamberlains crammed with us in our van to drive over and we had a grand time.
I am not looking forward to getting back into the school routine, the laziness has been very nice.
David worked hard on the scout fundraiser all day on Jan 1 & 2, raking in piles of dough to support his program, but stretching out the illness he had before that due to many hours of exertion outside, so he's all cuddled up in jammies today doing crosswords.
Lucy is a little firecracker--since she is underweight and has problems with dairy and soy, she is nursed whenever she wants. Because when she cries hard she starts to have lung issues and wheeze, she is sometimes placated regardless of whether or not it is the best idea. She wakes up at night, wants to nurse and sleep with me all the time, is still easily toted in an infant carseat and still sleeps in a boppy in her crib (for that three hours a day she will stay in her crib--2 napping and 1 at night). Somehow through all of this she has come to feel that she should have whatever she wants whenever she wants. I'm trying to explain to her that she is 19 months old, not 6 months old. Her church behavior today was, I feel, a preview to many sabbath wrestling matches to come.
Noah has been a little bored over the holidays sometimes and has watched too much TV. Potty training is not going so well again, and I thought we'd turned a corner. He sleeps great, I'll give him that. And he's hilarious and sweet and adorable. I need to write down the things he says more often, he gets me laughing almost every day.
Sophie has really enjoyed being home, it has been so nice having her around. She wrote a fully illustrated book about Santa Claus yesterday that was just wonderful, with creative pictures and spelling. She's just a joy.
I am embarrassed to say that all I do in my spare time right now is blog. I'd forgotten how much I love writing. Where am I blogging? You might ask? I'm blogging a tiny bit on suburbanharvest.blogspot.com and two other sites that aren't yet open to the public, but will be soon. I'll tell you about those more next week, when one will be ready and I'll shamelessly ask you to send it to everyone you know. Although I'm very entertained by and learn a lot from several blogs, there is something so egotistical and voyeuristic about blogging. Still, for writing addicts like myself, the ability to self-publish is dangerous. I'm posting like crazy, loving it, and don't even have public sites. Silly, silly Valerie.
Benjamin has had some great time hanging out with his dad, he really thrives on that and is starting to turn a corner in his development where he wants less to romp and play as to be with his dad. For instance, on the 31st, I decided to take the kids to the zoo while David did fundraising prep. Ben chose errands with dad. Here are some zoo pics:
Sophie (with conspicuously missing teeth) and a lion, who had just roared! I never thought I'd hear a lion roar in the zoo! It was loud and intense and amazing. Noah was a little freaked out.
Here is a koala. They were all out and easy to see. I'd been to the zoo a lot but never had seen the koalas well. The ones I took of koalas and my kids were blurry, so here's just a plain one.
A parent and baby giraffe!
Noah attacking a hippo on the zoo playground.
Sophie being a monkey, as she is wont to do.Now for the major event of the week, the big fat Rose Bowl Parade! Tuesday we popped up and went over to our friends the Hunter's who live by where we used to on the parade route--they saved a space for us. I was going to put some float pictures in here, but theirs are better and she has a good description of the excitement, so pop on over there for the parade pics, then come back and see my people pics.
Ready? Ok:
Eli and Noah both used this phone booth as a fancy VIP Seat for the parade. This is me, Sophie, Noah and our friends Thomas and Kath Chamberlain. The Chamberlains crammed with us in our van to drive over and we had a grand time.
Me and Lucy, both covered in cookie goo from Lucy's 10-minute cookie-eating project.
Sophie and Ella, having wiggled their way into a front spot between all the people who stayed overnight.
Ben and Addy Hunter. Sad story, really. Years ago Ben settled on her for his eternal mate, but Addy has other plans.
Emeril Lagasse! Charisma, cooking skills, complicated recipies. Reminds me a bit of a gangster. But I was excitedly compelled to take a picture, so all my aloof coolness is betrayed to reveal I do get excited about the occassional celebrity--if they are related to food.
I'm reading some great books, I'll tell you all about them on my other blogs later. Wishing you all a very happy new year!
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