St Patrick's Day 2014

I'm really starting to enjoy this holiday.

We didn't do much with it when I was a kid, but the idea of Leprechauns sneaking around has been a fun one to explore!

Mark got into it this year, and we made some great traps.

Green things and money for bait.

A bowl to balanced on top of the door to be knocked over, right on top of his head.

A swinging bat to knock him down.

As ingenious as our traps were, that sneaky leprechaun made a clean get-away.  But not without losing some valuables from his pockets.

Looks like we did knock him into the wall!

The bucket was down ... but no leprechaun underneath.  Just gold candy and a note saying we were sneaky, but not as sneaky as a leprechaun!

"Wow, Mom.  Hims so tiny," says Mac.

Grooooooosssss!

The Worst Mistake

February concluded with a sudden onslaught of baby-hunger.

I wanted something to squish.  (Belle can be quite anti-squishy, and tries her best to be much older than she is.)

But logic (a.k.a. Mark) said, "Hey look, we just had a major life change.  New state, new job, new tiny apartment .... we don't even have things settled yet.  Who knows if the office is steady?  If we'll have an income we can count on? If we could even fit an extra person in this living space?"

And that made sense in my head.

Just couldn't shake the feeling, however.

So my previously vague desire for a puppy began to replace baby hunger.  I knew we weren't ready to bring another human being into the world, but a dog?  Surely we could handle that.

A little dog would be perfect.  Entertain my kids.  Teach Mac responsibility. Give them something to do inside that might make them actually want to stay away from screens, instead of my having to limit their minutes every day.  And by the time we would be ready for a baby, this dog would be a well-trained member of the family.

Yes.  Yes, a dog is a perfect idea.

I don't think Mark realized how serious I was.  I don't think I did either.

I started taking the kids to the animal shelter a couple of times a week.  I told myself we were just playing with the dogs, just giving them some human interaction.

I also began checking KSL.  And texted Mark pictures of some of my favorites.  He was kinda shocked. In fact, he reacted to a dog the same way he reacted to a baby.  Come on.  Gotta meet me half way, buddy!  But no, he said he wasn't about to make any decisions for me, but in his opinion, this was a terrible idea and if I got a dog, it was mine to take care of.

That felt like a challenge.

Not too long after, we met Jaguar.

This sweet little girl was 6 tears old, half black lab, half beagle.  She was more beagle sized (perfect for an apartment) but silent (also perfect for an apartment.)  She followed me everywhere, and allowed Mac to hold her leash and Belle to pat her back.   The one time Belle pulled on her tail, she turned her head real quick and stuck her nose on Belle's hand, which startled Belle.  

Perfect.

She could handle my kids, she could handle an apartment ... I brought her home.

My kids were in heaven.  Mark was in shock.  And me?  Well I began to see that she really was a third child, and not a playmate for my kids.

Jaguar was not a fan of the crate, but Belle sure was.

Jaguar had been a lap dog in her previous home, and wanted nothing more than to doze on top of me all day.  And at night?  Jaguar attempted climbing up on our tall bed multiple times.  (Not my thing.) She tolerated my kids wonderfully, but wasn't interested in playing.  She definitely was not interested in Mark, in fact she usually growled at him.  Poor thing was probably so confused.  I felt like she knew I had taken her away from that crazy animal shelter, and worried that if she lost sight of me she might have to go back there.

I would give her time.  She'd come around.

But then ... the itching started.  She scratched and she bit herself.  She would splay her hind legs out and scooch her stomach across the carpet.  She would grunt and grumble and roll all over the ground. She seemed so uncomfortable!

By the second day, all her visible skin had raised, red bumps everywhere.

The animal shelter said if she had any health problems within ten days of adoption, to bring her back and they would treat her for free.

So we marched back to the shelter with one itchy, scratching dog.  The vet took one look at her and said, "Woah."  He immediately gave me a steroid and doggy-version of Benadryl.  He then went on to say that there would be a myriad of testing they would have to do to figure out going on, and that this could likely become an $800 per month commitment.

$800.  Per month?

I went home.  I felt stunned, defeated, and guilty.

What could I do?  I couldn't afford that, we were only just starting to pay our bills.  But I couldn't keep her here, she was miserable.  She needed help, help I couldn't supply.

I felt irresponsible and ashamed.  I had let this sweet, quiet little dog down.

The next day my parents had planned to drive up and spend the day with us, just to play with the grandkids.  I asked them if they would accompany us to the animal shelter.

 I took Jaguar back.

And left sobbing.

Dad held me close and patted my head like I was little.  And then Mac started crying too, so we became one little family of weepy people, surrounded by never-ending hugs from Nana and Bumpa.

What was I thinking? What an emotional, rash decision.  I couldn't believe I had brought on a dog without a yard to run in, or even an income steady enough to ensure I could care for it ... no matter what.

Never again.  Never AGAIN would I do that!  I don't think I'm a crazy dog person, but geez.  If I'm going to bring a dog into the family, we're keeping it.  No matter the cost.

Of course I settled down once Mark got off work and joined us, like usual.  That boy is just so steady and so logical ... it's hard to get worked up about much around him.  The kids hopped in the car with Nana and Bumpa, Mark and I followed in our car, and we traveled down to see the "big huuuuuge airplanes" at Hill Airforce Base's Museum.  I blubbered my emotions to Mark, told him he was right (again), and his nods and calm responses made me feel like everything would be okay.

But I still pray for Jaguar on occasion.

Thankfully, Nana and Bumpa's presence took away the sting for Mac, and the giant airplanes were a perfect distraction.

The next day, I decided to investigate a hunch I had been ignoring recently.  I had grown suspicious by my high-flying emotions.  I felt a little crazy ... in a way I had only felt two other times in my life.

And sure enough.

I was pregnant.

The Rest of February

The rest of our chilly/rainy February included the following:

• Pass of All Passes ... finally started to use it.  We went to a gymnastics meet this month, and with the crazy weather we have been thoroughly enjoying the bowling alley included on our pass.

•  Hogle Zoo put on a free-entrance day ... which was awesome!  Except for the fact that the rest of the state of Utah agreed.  The place was wall-to-wall people.  I saw several people from my hometown, which was fantastic ... but all in all, I felt like we were back at Disneyland on a Utah-Spring-Break day.  (We learned quickly that if there is ANY kind of kids-get-out-of-school holiday going on in Utah, STEER CLEAR of Disneyland.)  But the kids loved the animals.  I'm still debating whether or not I should get a season pass.

•  We said goodbye to our beloved Pujols Fish this month too.  Mark discovered him on the counter on evening, and immediately flopped the poor little guy back in his water.  We had no idea how long he had been lying out there, but he did seem to swim around a bit .... but by the following morning, it was certain.  Pujols had moved on.  I told Mac, who was quite solemn but very curious about the whole thing.  I asked if I could flush Pujols down the toilet, to which Mac replied, "But Jesus will never find him in there!"  We decided to bury him outside, and Mac picked out Pujols's burial ground.  He was fine until we started to shovel dirt on top of him ... then he burst into tears.  "I just miss him too much, Mom." he said.  I held him and pointed out all the ducks wandering out of the water - probably to see if we had any bread - and Mac said, "Oh look, Mom, they miss Pujols too!  The duckies want to come say goodbye."  I agreed.

The following morning, Mac jumped out of bed and said, "Mom!  Let's see if Jesus took Pujols yet!"  I told him it wasn't very polite to dig up dead things ... how do you explain THAT to a kid? 

•  Mac gave his first talk in Primary.  It was about the Savior's Atonement.  The whole thing was about how Jesus made it so we could live with him and all our friends and family again.  I ended up whispering most of it to Mac, but we had specifically worked on a couple parts that he could just talk about himself.  But when we got to them, he said, "Mom, I think you'd better just tell me."  So I did.  He finished, patted me on the back, and returned to his seat.  So proud of that guy.

•  And Miss Belle has started experimenting with potty training ... it's been a bit of a process, but she's slowly improving.  So crazy to think my house might be diaper free pretty soon ...

•  And finally, we had our first incident with using-mom's-makeup-without-her.  Thankfully it was just red lipstick (which I never use) and not eyeliner or mascara ... but it was quite messy.  Two months later, I'm still finding random red fingerprints on the walls.

Valentine's 2014

Another year, another day to celebrate love.

(One of my favorite things.)

Mark watched the kids the day before while I ran some last-minute errands.  Those included ingredients for a romantic family meal, candy hearts, chocolate ... and decorating Mark's office.

I wish I would've taken a picture ... it's fun to make his office all festive.  I feel like it makes the place feel more community-oriented; a family gathering place.  But of course, we gotta keep it professional ... I'm still working on the balance.

Still, we made thank-yous for Mark's employees and left them with chocolate.  (That ought to inspire them to work super hard, be super awesome, and make everyone want to tell all their friends ... right?)

And then I did a little deep car cleaning for my sweetheart.

And I thought a lot about how I've gotten lazy at doing specific little things to help HIM and no one else.  Not the kids, not our family in general ... but I need to be better at regularly finding little things that make HIS day easier.  Props to Valentine's for the reminder!

Finally, the big day came.  We had toast in the shape of a heart and eggs, completely with chocolate and silly string fights.

We read each other's love notes.  Some favorites include:

•  "Belle, I love when you play baseball with me.  Love, Mac"
• "Dad, I love when you let me stay up late and finish watching basketball games. Love, Mac"
• "Belle, I love your hugs and kisses.  Love, Dad"
• "Mac, I love how excited you get to do things together as a family.  You make everything so fun! Love, Mom"
• "Dad, I love when you help me put on princess dresses. Love, Belle"
• "Mac, I love the silly names you make up.  You are so funny.  Love, Dad"
• "Belle, I love it when you are so nice to other kids, even if they are acting grumpy.  Love, Mom"
• "Mom, I love to wrestle you. Love, Mac"
• "Mom, I love when you let me 'do it'.  Love, Belle"
• "Mac, I love playing sports and watching baseball and basketball with you.  Love, Dad"
• "Mac, I love when you are so nice to your sister and your family.  Love, Dad"
• "Belle, I love your strong will and independence.  I love you.  Love, Dad"
• "Mac, I love when you help me get out of bed.  Love, Belle"
• "Mac, I love your big smart brains.  I love to hear you figure out adding and subtracting.  Love, Mom"
• "Mac, I love when you share your bowling pins with me.  Love, Belle"
• "Dad, I love when you throw me in the air.  Love, Belle"
• "Belle, I love it when you give me hugs and pat my back.  Love, Mom"
• "Belle, You are so cute.  I love when you copy me.  Love, Mac"

Compliments go a long way.  It is so fun to sit and think of specific little things that I love about each of my family members (didn't copy down the ones I wrote for my sweetheart .... his eyes only!), and then to see my kids reactions as we read them?  Priceless!  Mac giggles and claps at each one, whether or not it's for him.

Compliments rock.  I wish they flowed out of me verbally more often.

I'll work on it!

For lunch we prettied ourselves up to go out to eat with the greatest guy ever.

And Mark and I vowed to do a Valentines lunch without kids next year.  (They were nuts.)

We topped off the day with a candlelit dinner for four, and eventually ... got a bit of alone time.

Love is the greatest.

Sochi Winter Olympics 2014

The Winter Olympic were a lot of fun to watch his year.  Mac and I prepped by making a banner of flags from all the participating countries.

He was thrilled.

We were about to witness the bestest, fastest, strongest people from all the countries come together to compete in their favorite sports ... what a treat.  Flags, medals, songs, races .... and plenty of timers and countdowns.

I was particularly interested in seeing how the Olympics would go; what with the book we had just read in book club about the Romanov family and the lady who had lived there on and off for years.  Plus my newest brother-in-law had taught English and later served his LDS mission there; Russia is incredibly interesting to me.  It feels like a massive, old, not quite third-world but definitely not first-world type of a country.  I had heard a lot about the preparations that went into building a town capable of housing the world's top athletes for weeks ... it was quite a feat, considering there was nothing but a few homes and a one-way street to begin with.

There were a few hiccups, and it was incredibly obvious that the hotels had been thrown together last minute.  But I liked what the gal in my ward said about it, "What they were able to accomplish, with what they had to work with ... the Russian people should be proud of their homeland."

I hope they are!

My little family sure liked watching them.  Mac had questions about every sport and every athlete.  We loved cheering for the Utahns in there.  (Since I moved to Salt Lake, its been crazy to see that training for the Olympics is completely attainable and almost - but not quite - commonplace out here.)

I love the Olympics for the honor it gives to dedicated athletes and their dedicated families.  The persistence, the determination ... and even plenty of examples of compassion and camaraderie!

Can't wait for two years; bring on the Summer Olympics!

An Experienced Book Club

I love reading.

And I never had the opportunity to get to know my biological grandmas at all.  

So ... my new ward out here has a book club headed and attended by grandmas.  Are you thinking what I'm thinking?  Yes.  I've been thrilled to attend.

A couple of them work at the library and are on the board to select books for Salt Lake County's top picks.  The rest are incredible cooks (we get treats every time), hilarious story tellers, well-traveled, well-studied, and all are incredibly loving.

They pat my hand and tell me I'm precious while they recount their lives as they relate to the books.

I happen to love historical fiction, and both of the historical books we've read have had personal meaning to at least one of the ladies.  It is so fun to listen to them talk about World War II, especially the German gal who remembers the "tall, handsome Americans" who "saved" Germany, as she put it.

It makes me feel like I have a lot of good thing ahead of me.

And it reminds me that this stage, this stay-at-home-all-day-with-crazy-little-kids part of my life is just a moment in the vast sea of moments that will make me who I am.  I don't want to miss it; building a foundation for our future is kind of a big deal.  If our little family can thrive during this often-menial part of our lives, we'll be set up to not only weather, but enjoy the long, wild ride ahead of us.

I love the perspective I gain from being with these experienced ladies.

And I love that they pat my hand and call me precious.

Our most recent book; so fun to read while the Olympics were going on.  Russia is interesting; particularly when you get to listen to ladies talk about it who have lived there for years.

A Little Bit of January

January began wonderfully.

NewYears Eve was spent unwinding from our holiday adventures.

Meaning, we both fell asleep on the couch watching Property Brothers and House Hunters International.

But ... I happened to wake up 5 minutes before midnight, so we saw Ryan Seacrest and that horrible Mylie usher in the new year.

Mark doesn't remember it, but he did stir enough to kiss me before I turned off the t.v.

Yes, our month started off with a bang!

And it continued that way.

Mac had his first basketball class.

He told me, "Mom, I think basketball is my other favorite sport.  With baseball too."  But honestly, that boy loves anything he can score and/or time.

Every Saturday we would get to practice a bit early.  Mac would pick up a basketball, and methodically work his way from one end of the court to the other; dribble, shoot, other side.  Dribble, shoot, other side.  When the kids would practice dribbling around the outside of the court, Mac was the ONLY child who not only refused to cut corners, but clung to every line.

Gotta do it right, I guess.

Waiting for his first basketball game to start.  Wish I could show you the crouching, wide-armed wiggle that counts as his defensive stance

 

Miss Belen was always bugged she couldn't go play with them, and I had to pull out all the stops every Saturday to keep her with me.  But whenever anything close to downtime happened, you can bet she was out there weaving between players, following lines, and kicking any basketball that dared come near her.

 The season ended with a mini trophy ceramony.  Mac was thrilled.

"Mom, this is my first trophy and I love it.  I'm going to get SO many of these, cause I practice so much."

He liked basketball before, but this heated this love to an almost baseball-esque passion.  We have since taped a basketball court in his room, and he is constantly asking me to keep his score (we're currently at 1,527), shoot so he can practice blocking my shot, or making up games in which he is always the Jazz, there's always 10 seconds on the clock, and he often gets fouled.  "Stop the clock Mom, there's three seconds left.  I made that shot, but that guy bumped me so I get one more 'three'-throw.  Made it!  So now that's three points.  Write it down, Mom."

He's four.  What ever happened to heroes, fighting bad guys; you know, playing pretend?  All our pretend involves numbers.

Besides playing referee/teammate/scorekeeper, I was able to go out on a ladies' night with some of my cousins on the Thomas side.

I can't believe how many live in the Salt Lake Valley.  We caught up on each others lives over pedicures and Olive Garden ... and though the food was as bleh as I remember, I loved it.

January also marked the opening of Holladay's new fire station.  The place was open for tours to the public all day, and Belle was in love.

"Wee-ooo wee-oooo weeeeee-oooooo!"

Mac thought it was alright, but was ready to go after a bit.  Belle screamed and hollered and clung to the door frame for dear life when I told her we needed to leave.

Her ability to spot fire trucks/ambulances has intensified dramatically since then.  In fact, at a parking lot the other day she suddenly began sprinting ahead of me.  Mac and I raced to catch her, eventually seeing what she was running toward: a parked ambulance.  She began climbing up and pulling on the door handle just as the two paramedics came out of the store (luckily not in the process of saving anyone).  She saw them in their gear and asked, "Belle drive?  Ambulance?"  They gave her stickers and showed her the back of the truck while Mac hid behind my legs.

Again, she was sad to leave.

But coming home to a pond-ful of ducks always helps.

It's been such a warm winter (compared to how I remember winters in Logan growing up), that we've actually been able to spend plenty of time outside.  We've been reading, playing basketball, drawing baseball diamonds in the sand and then playing games, admiring all of our neighbors' dogs, and feeding ducks.

Though mild, the crisp wintery air inspired Mac to discover the joy of warm clothes fresh out of the dryer.  It is now our favorite way fight off that playing-outside-so-long-I-forgot-I-was-cold chill.

And we have had loads of family time.  Drop-ins from my family as they've had various things to do in Salt Lake.  Babysitting trade-offs with cousins.  Going out to eat, Sunday dinners ... and cousin Todd's birthday party.

Finally, between working at the office, working on the office, and networking around the office, we've had a good share of quality time at home with this handsome devil:

Why he instigated random sleepover nights is beyond me, but the kids are in heaven.

 Judging by the way this month of 31 one days has flown by .... the year is going to be over before I know it.  We'll be sure to make it a good one.