Sparkling Becca

Brian took these photos that perfectly capture Becca's amazing personality. She is joy personified.

Brothers

Watching cartoons with Daddy's "Fluffy".

Utah State Fair

We hung out at the State Fair with Brian's sister Charity, her husband Eric, and their new baby, Finn.

We saw lots of cows. They were brushing the show cows with WD-40 to make their fur all fuzzy. Crazy!

Becca LOVED the goats. "Goat, goat, goat, goat!"

The kids BEGGED for pony rides. That was the one thing they all wanted to do. I'm not sure it turned out to be quite as exciting as they had imagined, but now they can all say with confidence that they've ridden on a horse.

Maggie, the rodeo princess.

Beanie was done after the first few trips around. Nathan (in the background) spent his horse ride checking out the machinery. And the poop.

Ride 'em cowboy, Matthew!

After a few very expensive carnival rides, we decided we'd shoveled enough money into the State Fair for the day and ditched carnival food in favor of dinner from McDonald's on the way home. At least we didn't have to stand in another line!

The Children's Garden at Thanksgiving Point

Becca tasting the local microbes.

Matthew and Maggie made it out of the maze alive. The others did, too, but I couldn't get them to hold still long enough to snap photographic proof.

Becca and Maggie climbing on rocks. Becca proceeded to slide down this one, fall on her little bum, jump up laughing and turn around to do it all over again.

Don't you love Maggie's face? She held it for about 5 photos while I tried to get everyone else in there. This was the best I could do.

Nathan and Matthew captured a grasshopper and built him a little house. I'm not sure how much the grasshopper appreciated his house, but it's the thought that counts.

While her brothers and sister built stuff, Becca practiced her climbing skills. That baby sure knows how to get herself impossibly high up.

Working Mama

It's probably about time I post the news: in July I landed a part-time job! I work in the afternoons at a company that provides internet services for hotels. My official title is Client Services Administrator, and even though officially we answer phones for platinum level hotels seeking support, it's pretty much the grunt work of the office - if anyone has something that they don't want to do, they give it to the admins.

I LOVE it! It's sooooooo nice to get away for a few hours every day and re-focus and clear my mind. And the paychecks aren't so bad, either.

Little Sisters

About three-quarters of the way through the primary program yesterday, Becca suddenly discovered her big sister Maggie sitting up on the stand. She ran to the middle of the aisle, put her hands to her little cheeks and yelled, "Bay-ggie! Bay-ggie!" Every few minutes through the remainder of the program, she kept pointing at Maggie and yelling out "Bay-ggie!" every few minutes. And Maggie would wave and Becca would wave back and then start yelling in her shrill little baby voice again, "Bay-ggie! Bay-ggie!" We were all in stitches.

It Works for Mosquitos

Maggie: "Is Dad allergic to reindeers?"

Me (wondering where this is coming from): "No..."

Maggie: "Then why does he have reindeer spray?"

And then I see what she pulled out of Brian's hunting gear:

Why I Love My Neighborhood

Matthew and Nathan exploring the creek on the far side of our lake. It's a boys' paradise.

They started harvesting moss. Apparently, it felt like hair.

Becca decided these cattails didn't taste as much like hotdogs as they looked like them, so she chucked 'em.

Maggie is an explorer, too.

Introducing My 16-Month Old

Here we have a classic illustration of the toddler, Becca. She can frequently be found climbing on top of things like kitchen tables, enjoys dumping out the contents of her "cup-cup"s and splashing in the puddles, and LOVES chocolate, especially in the form of cookies. Also, she loves to say "Cheese!" for the camera. Anyone want a kiss?

And this was about half an hour after she got out of the bath. Of course.

A Moment of Truth

I have realized something about myself.

I've always known I'm a performer at heart. Give me a stage and an audience and I'm happy as a clam. But I'm terrified of live-feed cameras.

I'm singing in the choir at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication in the morning--which is being broadcast to stake centers all over Utah--and I'm terrified. I'm having panic attacks that I'll pick my nose in the middle of the opening prayer or sing off-key or fall over in a dead faint and cause a major disruption to the whole session. Since I'm standing on the far edge of the choir, maybe I'll just fall behind the organ and no one will notice.

So, if you're planning on attending the dedication broadcast tomorrow, please go to the 3:00 session. Or at least, don't tell anyone who that poor soprano was who accidently tripped and knocked over President Monson's chair. You can pretend you don't know her.

Maggie-isms

Maggie: "Mom, can you do me a favor?"

Me: "Sure. What do you need?"

Maggie: "Um...what's a favor?"

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Maggie, after sneezing several times in a row: "I have the bless-you's!"

Birthday Girl

Maggie woke up singing, "Happy Birthday" to herself yesterday morning--yes, the long-awaited day finally came and Maggie turned FOUR years old. She immediately asked for some scissors and went to work cutting off the tips of her binkies, something we've been talking about for weeks but I'm still surprised she had the gumption to go through with it. She had a rough bedtime last night and a little bit tonight, but seems to be determined to grow up.

We had a little birthday party for Maggie at the neighborhood kiddie pool yesterday morning. We set up a birthday table with balloons in the nearby pavillion and left the cake for an hour while we took the kids swimming. When we came back for snacks, I took the foil off the cake and discovered the whole thing was COVERED in bees. Us moms all freaked out. And so did the kids.

We moved the kids to the farthest table away from the bee cake and got them started on some crackers and cheese. Then one mom bravely lifted a corner of the cake pan and dropped it to shake off all the bees. I dove in and grabbed my cake and ran off with it. I worked too hard on that cake to just hand it over to a swarm of insects, gosh dang it.

I pretty much spent the rest of the party carrying the cake around, running away from bees. We cut off a decoy piece of cake and set it on the ground under the table that the cake had originally sat on to keep the bees occupied--but there were still a few who kept finding that darn cake. You should've seen me trying to cut cake while walking around and around with the pan. Classic party games, I think.

But Maggie had a great time, she loves feeling so special--who doesn't? And I think her friends had a good time, too. Luckily, the bees were so intent on their frosting that no one was stung.

Becca's Words

Becca has hit a language explosion. Her word usage this week has gone from basic baby words--like "ball", "bottle", and "baby"--to short phrases like "hot dog", "Sponge Bob", "Hi, Grandpa", and "chocolate cake"!

Yep, She's at That Stage...

Those are MY shoes in the toilet. Thanks so much, Becca.

Tacoma, Washington

Brian and I spent a few days up in Tacoma, Washington at the beginning of July. It felt like home to me--the dense forests everywhere (I was born and raised in Seattle.) I could have stayed forever. We didn't have anything except my cellphone camera to document the trip, so the photos are pretty sketchy but better than nothing.

We stayed in the Murano right in the middle of an entirely refurbished and renewed downtown Tacoma. The hotel was fantastic: modern and chic and displaying its own private glass scultpure collection.

The lobby. That dress in the foreground was made of cut glass.

Our room. The lamps had a lightbulb inside that glowed through the red glass.

Our bathroom. The counter was a sheet of blue glass. The offset faucet looked cool, but it was really awkward to use.


The view of Mt. Ranier from our bedroom window. The room was all windows on two sides.




On Friday, we drove up to Bremerton to see the aircraft carriers in the harbor, then took a ferry ride across the Puget Sound to Seattle.


Since I'd just broken by toe a couple of days earlier and couldn't do much of the touristy walking things, we ended up driving down to Mt. Ranier National Park and checking out the visitor's center and the gorgeous scenery.

On Saturday, we finally had a chance to visit the glass museum that I'd been wanting to visit since we reached Tacoma. I only had an hour to check it out before we had to leave for the airport but I wasn't disapointed.

You walk across a bridge with three installations by Dale Chihuly (the most famous glass artist ever and a Tacoma native) to reach the museum. These giant sugar-crystal-lolipop-looking pieces were made by Chihuly.

Inside the museum, they had a working glass-blowing studio where you could sit and watch the artists at work and learn abuot the process. I was amazed at how many people--and steps--it took to make one piece. They were making beach balls out of blown glass. It was absolutely fascinating; I could have stayed all day.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip and one that I will always cherish the memory of.

Becca's Bedsheet

Becca has three flannel blankets that she loves. She'll grab her blanket and give it a big hug and then carry it around bunched up in front of her. But the day before yesterday, she found a new blanket for herself in her closet: Maggie's extra fitted sheet! Becca's been carrying it around ever since, in fact, she prefers it to her other blankets. You know how they say that every child chooses her own comfort item? But a fitted sheet?!

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Maggie and her little neighbor friend, Macey, played out in the pouring rain yesterday. It was raining so hard our front sidewalk was a creek and the alley was a river. After almost an hour, they finally came inside shivering and soaked to the bone but very pleased with their puddle-jumping skills.

Where's the Teeth?

Matthew lost his last front tooth last week. Now he's a holey--and rich--man! (Don't worry, not all of that money came from the tooth fairy.)

Ordering Weather A La Cart

Maggie: "Can it be windy-er today? I'm hot."

Night of the Living Babies

Help! We've been invaded by a two-foot zombie!

Throughout the week last week, Becca started walking more and more until she's walking more often than crawling now. But she looks like a little zombie. She walks with her belly sticking way out front and so to balance herself, she has to put both arms out, too. She just runs arounds around with a big grin on her face and her arms leading her whever she goes.

Also, she falls down a lot.

But she just jumps up and keeps going!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

I took the kids through the new Oquirrh Mountain Temple yesterday. Maggie was so excited, she was the first one dressed. As we walked through she kept asking if this was the room where they get married. And Matthew wanted to know where they kiss on the lips. We finally found the sealing rooms at the top of the temple and the end of the tour. Because it was a special neighbor's tour we were served a fantastic little brunch afterwards. Then we walked around the grounds to check out the plantings designed by our next-door-neighbor. The kids had races with their complimentary water bottles down the front steps. And then we walked the few yards home.

Last Wednesday, I had an opportunity to attend the media tour. Elder Ballard as well as three other general authorities were our tour guides. I got to rub shoulders with some local journalist celebrities and there was even a reporter from The New York Times. And he sat down and asked me all about the community we live in. Yeah, it was pretty surreal. You can read the article I wrote for our little community website here.

Happy Mother's Day to Me

That's a Chocolate Berry Trifle with devil's food cake soaked in raspberry jello, chocolate pudding, fresh strawberries and raspberries, and chocolate cool whip. I might not share it.

'Tis the Season...for Soccer

With Brian coaching Nathan's flag football team, Matthew playing flag football and soccer (with extra games), and even Maggie playing her first season of soccer this year, things are kind of busy around here on Saturdays.

We have three or four games every Saturday morning and practices and more games held through-out the week. But it's so much fun watching your kids get out there and run their little hearts out.

Maggie's games are the most entertaining--all those three and four year olds chasing after the ball in a big bunch. Maggie kept running off the field during her first game because she was so busy waving at us on the sidelines. And then every so often she'll turn around and give us the thumbs-up, just to show she's doing good. Once she yelled from the field, "Mom, I kicked the ball two times!" I don't know who's having more fun, Maggie playing or me watching.

Marshmallow Maggie playing soccer with her Lions team.