Lately my pleasant and happy sixteen-month-old has had an increasing number of monster moments. Is this the beginning of the terrible twos? He will be perfectly happy, and then the smallest thing seems to cause a shrieking crying fit. For example, this afternoon when we went outside Joel threw a tantrum because he didn't want me to put mittens on him. Then he cried because his hands were cold and wet. Joel bawled after slipping on some ice and falling down. He wailed and swatted my hands away when I tried to help him back up. (He wasn't hurt at all, being well padded by his snowgear, and seeing as he is short enough that it wasn't a long fall to the ground.) He screamed when I insisted on holding his hand while crossing the street. Finally I picked Joel up and marched back inside. It was NOT a fun outing.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Jekyll and Hyde
Lately my pleasant and happy sixteen-month-old has had an increasing number of monster moments. Is this the beginning of the terrible twos? He will be perfectly happy, and then the smallest thing seems to cause a shrieking crying fit. For example, this afternoon when we went outside Joel threw a tantrum because he didn't want me to put mittens on him. Then he cried because his hands were cold and wet. Joel bawled after slipping on some ice and falling down. He wailed and swatted my hands away when I tried to help him back up. (He wasn't hurt at all, being well padded by his snowgear, and seeing as he is short enough that it wasn't a long fall to the ground.) He screamed when I insisted on holding his hand while crossing the street. Finally I picked Joel up and marched back inside. It was NOT a fun outing.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ouch!
Yesterday I went to the dentist. Well, technically the endodontist. He made an incision in my gum tissue, drilled two holes in my jaw bone, and pulled out the infected roots of the tooth that have been causing me such pain for months. Luckily, he gave me several shots of numbing stuff first! I couldn't feel any pain, although it was still not a pleasant process. After taking care of the infection, he cleaned out the root canals, filled them with stuff, and sewed me back up. I now have a swollen jaw, and a supply of Lortab to keep me from feeling too much pain because the numbing stuff wore off long ago. The good news is, I get to do the whole thing again in two weeks on another tooth. :(
Sunday, March 1, 2009
100 Things
I swiped this list from a friend's blog. It was interesting to see how many of the things on the list I have or have not done, and which of them were memorable experiences.
* 1. Started your own blog- Check.
* 2. Slept under the stars- Many times. I love this.
* 3. Played in a band- Yes. I played flute in the band from 7th grade until my junior year of college.
* 4. Visited Hawaii- Twice.
* 5. Watched a meteor shower
* 6. Given more than you can afford to charity- Yes. It was satisfying.
* 7. Been to Disneyland- So many times I’ve lost count!
* 8. Climbed a mountain- all the way to the top? I guess it depends on what you’d call a mountain. I’ve climbed Nellie’s Mountain at the Ranch many times. I want to climb Timp some day.
* 9. Held a praying mantis- Yes. They are light and scratchy.
* 10. Sang a solo- Yes. I sang “When You Say Nothing At All” accompanied by my dad’s band for a family reunion.
* 11. Bungee jumped
* 12. Visited Paris- Yes, for a week.
* 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
* 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
* 15. Adopted a child
* 16. Had food poisoning- Several times, unfortunately. It was a fairly regular happening on my mission. The last time was when Brandon and I were engaged. I got sick after eating tomato soup at Jason’s Deli.
* 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
* 18. Grown your own vegetables- We almost always had a garden while I was growing up. One summer Dad let Rachel and I plant the entire plot with tomatoes and sell them to buy school clothes. We had to water and weed and fertilize and pick and sell them all by ourselves. We got so tired of killing those big fat caterpillars that seem to love tomato plants.
* 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France-Yes. I was surprised by how small it really is.
* 20. Slept on an overnight train- Only on a bus.
* 21. Had a pillow fight- It seems to occur fairly often at our house.
* 22. Hitch hiked- when I was a missionary in Bolivia.
* 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill- Well, I'd call it a "personal day".
* 24. Built a snow fort- Oh yeah! You’ve got to love those big mounds of snow that accumulate after the snow plow goes by, and then your dad clears out the driveway. Perfect for hollowing out and making snow forts.
* 25. Held a lamb
* 26. Gone skinny dipping- Yes. That’s all I’ll say about that.
* 27. Run a Marathon- I ran the Top of Utah Marathon in Logan in 2002. It was a very cool experience.
* 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
* 29. Seen a total eclipse
* 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset- I try to see as many as I can.
* 31. Hit a home run
* 32. Been on a cruise- I went on a cruise with my friends before I was married. Later Brandon and I went on one for our honeymoon.
* 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
* 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
* 35. Seen an Amish community
* 36. Taught yourself a new language- I learned Spanish, though I can't take all the credit.
* 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied- Does money ever bring satisfaction?
* 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
* 39. Gone rock climbing- Only at the Quarry.
* 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David- Only in a book.
* 41. Sung karaoke- Several times. It is fun. Once I even sang in Spanish.
* 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt- Yep.
* 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
* 44. Visited Africa
* 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight- Yes. Carlsbad State Park in California.
* 46. Been transported in an ambulance
* 47. Had your portrait painted
* 48. Gone deep sea fishing
* 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
* 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris- Yes. I went on Study Abroad to London in 1995. We spent a week in France. We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower at evening time in order to see the city lights, and our little BYU group was a bit scandalized by all the couples making out in the shadows. Apparently, the top of the Eiffel Tower is a popular place to kiss.
* 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling- I’ve been snorkeling several times.
* 52. Kissed in the rain- Yes.
* 53. Played in the mud- Yes.
* 54. Gone to a drive-in theater- A couple of times.
* 55. Been in a movie
* 56. Visited the Great Wall of China
* 57. Started a business-Yes.
* 58. Taken a martial arts class
* 59. Visited Russia
* 60. Served at a soup kitchen- Once on a date. It was a cool experience.
* 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
* 62. Gone whale watching
* 63. Got flowers for no reason- I’ve bought flowers for myself for no reason before. Brandon gives me flowers, but usually for a reason.
* 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma- only blood, and only once, and it was a long time ago.
* 65. Gone sky diving
* 66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
* 67. Bounced a check- More than once, unfortunately. I’ve learned to be more careful, however.
* 68. Flown in a helicopter-Yes. We went on a helicopter tour when Mom, Dad, Ray and I went to Hawaii. I got a little sick from the motion.
* 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy- I still have Oot, my Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy, and Wally the bear. They are in a box in the basement.
* 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial- Yes. There is a sort of reverence about the place.
* 71. Eaten Caviar- I can’t remember why, but my 8th grade History teacher brought in caviar for us to try. It was salty. I like the little tiny fish eggs that they put on sushi rolls.
* 72. Pieced a quilt- Sort of. When I was in High School I made a crazy patchwork lapquilt out of odds and ends. I sewed the patches together, but then tied the quilt rather than stitching it.
* 73. Stood in Times Square
* 74. Toured the Everglades
* 75. Been fired from a job
* 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London-No! I spent an entire Summer term there on Study Abroad and never made it to Buckinham Palace.
* 77. Broken a bone- Never. I sprained my ankle very badly, however. I tripped in a hole in our yard. I was 19.
* 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle- A couple of times, and always holding tightly to the boy who was driving, not driving myself.
* 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person- No. Hard to believe when I live fairly close to it, I know.
* 80. Published a book
* 81. Bought a brand new car- The first and only car I’ve owned myself is named Ruby. She is a ’99 Chevy Lumina, and I bought her in 2000. She’s a bit shabby, but still running well!
* 82. Walked in Jerusalem- Someday I hope to.
* 83. Had your picture in the newspaper
* 84. Read the entire Bible- When we studied the Bible in seminary, we were only required to read certain chapters, but I was an over achiever and read straight through. After reading certain parts of the Old Testament, I understood why the Seminary program recommended only the “good parts” version.
* 85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating- A fish. My bro-in-law Peter caught it, but he let me gut it because I’d never done it before and wanted to try. It was squishy.
* 86. Had chickenpox- I caught a pretty bad case because I was a little older-10 or 11 I think. It was during the summer, so the heat made me even itchier.
* 87. Saved someone’s life- Not that I know of.
* 88. Met someone famous- Does my husband count? I saw actor Bill Patton at a play in London when I was on study abroad. I’ve met Patricia C. Wrede, Michelle West, Lloyd Alexander, Gail Carson Levine, and lots of other authors.
* 89. Joined a book club- almost two years ago. My former roommates and I choose a list of books to read, then get together once a month to discuss them. (Of course, we do a lot of eating and visiting too.)
* 90. Lost a loved one- both paternal grandparents. My grandma died while I was on my mission. When I visited her just before I left, I had a feeling it would be the last time I would see her, but it was still a shock to me when I found out she’d passed away.
* 91. Had a baby- Yes, and he’s very cute!
* 92. Seen the Alamo in person
* 93. Swam in the Great Salt Lake-I think I dipped my toes in it when we went to visit Antelope Island. I don’t remember for sure.
* 94. Been involved in a law suit
* 95. Owned a cell phone- I’m on number 3 now.
* 96. Been stung by a bee- a couple of times. The one I remember most happened at school when I was in Kindergarten. My teacher took me in to the nurse, but the nurse wasn’t around at the time, so the Principal took care of me. He was such a wonderful, kind man.
* 97. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
* 98. Learned to play an instrument- piano, flute, guitar
* 99. Sat on jury duty
* 100. Had a pet rat-only a gross looking rubber rat that a coworker gave me at Halloween years ago. I still have it, and each year when I get out the Halloween decorations, this rat ends up in places like the shower, my bed, the fridge or other startling locations.
* 1. Started your own blog- Check.
* 2. Slept under the stars- Many times. I love this.
* 3. Played in a band- Yes. I played flute in the band from 7th grade until my junior year of college.
* 4. Visited Hawaii- Twice.
* 5. Watched a meteor shower
* 6. Given more than you can afford to charity- Yes. It was satisfying.
* 7. Been to Disneyland- So many times I’ve lost count!
* 8. Climbed a mountain- all the way to the top? I guess it depends on what you’d call a mountain. I’ve climbed Nellie’s Mountain at the Ranch many times. I want to climb Timp some day.
* 9. Held a praying mantis- Yes. They are light and scratchy.
* 10. Sang a solo- Yes. I sang “When You Say Nothing At All” accompanied by my dad’s band for a family reunion.
* 11. Bungee jumped
* 12. Visited Paris- Yes, for a week.
* 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
* 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
* 15. Adopted a child
* 16. Had food poisoning- Several times, unfortunately. It was a fairly regular happening on my mission. The last time was when Brandon and I were engaged. I got sick after eating tomato soup at Jason’s Deli.
* 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
* 18. Grown your own vegetables- We almost always had a garden while I was growing up. One summer Dad let Rachel and I plant the entire plot with tomatoes and sell them to buy school clothes. We had to water and weed and fertilize and pick and sell them all by ourselves. We got so tired of killing those big fat caterpillars that seem to love tomato plants.
* 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France-Yes. I was surprised by how small it really is.
* 20. Slept on an overnight train- Only on a bus.
* 21. Had a pillow fight- It seems to occur fairly often at our house.
* 22. Hitch hiked- when I was a missionary in Bolivia.
* 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill- Well, I'd call it a "personal day".
* 24. Built a snow fort- Oh yeah! You’ve got to love those big mounds of snow that accumulate after the snow plow goes by, and then your dad clears out the driveway. Perfect for hollowing out and making snow forts.
* 25. Held a lamb
* 26. Gone skinny dipping- Yes. That’s all I’ll say about that.
* 27. Run a Marathon- I ran the Top of Utah Marathon in Logan in 2002. It was a very cool experience.
* 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
* 29. Seen a total eclipse
* 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset- I try to see as many as I can.
* 31. Hit a home run
* 32. Been on a cruise- I went on a cruise with my friends before I was married. Later Brandon and I went on one for our honeymoon.
* 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
* 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
* 35. Seen an Amish community
* 36. Taught yourself a new language- I learned Spanish, though I can't take all the credit.
* 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied- Does money ever bring satisfaction?
* 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
* 39. Gone rock climbing- Only at the Quarry.
* 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David- Only in a book.
* 41. Sung karaoke- Several times. It is fun. Once I even sang in Spanish.
* 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt- Yep.
* 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
* 44. Visited Africa
* 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight- Yes. Carlsbad State Park in California.
* 46. Been transported in an ambulance
* 47. Had your portrait painted
* 48. Gone deep sea fishing
* 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
* 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris- Yes. I went on Study Abroad to London in 1995. We spent a week in France. We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower at evening time in order to see the city lights, and our little BYU group was a bit scandalized by all the couples making out in the shadows. Apparently, the top of the Eiffel Tower is a popular place to kiss.
* 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling- I’ve been snorkeling several times.
* 52. Kissed in the rain- Yes.
* 53. Played in the mud- Yes.
* 54. Gone to a drive-in theater- A couple of times.
* 55. Been in a movie
* 56. Visited the Great Wall of China
* 57. Started a business-Yes.
* 58. Taken a martial arts class
* 59. Visited Russia
* 60. Served at a soup kitchen- Once on a date. It was a cool experience.
* 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
* 62. Gone whale watching
* 63. Got flowers for no reason- I’ve bought flowers for myself for no reason before. Brandon gives me flowers, but usually for a reason.
* 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma- only blood, and only once, and it was a long time ago.
* 65. Gone sky diving
* 66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
* 67. Bounced a check- More than once, unfortunately. I’ve learned to be more careful, however.
* 68. Flown in a helicopter-Yes. We went on a helicopter tour when Mom, Dad, Ray and I went to Hawaii. I got a little sick from the motion.
* 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy- I still have Oot, my Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy, and Wally the bear. They are in a box in the basement.
* 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial- Yes. There is a sort of reverence about the place.
* 71. Eaten Caviar- I can’t remember why, but my 8th grade History teacher brought in caviar for us to try. It was salty. I like the little tiny fish eggs that they put on sushi rolls.
* 72. Pieced a quilt- Sort of. When I was in High School I made a crazy patchwork lapquilt out of odds and ends. I sewed the patches together, but then tied the quilt rather than stitching it.
* 73. Stood in Times Square
* 74. Toured the Everglades
* 75. Been fired from a job
* 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London-No! I spent an entire Summer term there on Study Abroad and never made it to Buckinham Palace.
* 77. Broken a bone- Never. I sprained my ankle very badly, however. I tripped in a hole in our yard. I was 19.
* 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle- A couple of times, and always holding tightly to the boy who was driving, not driving myself.
* 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person- No. Hard to believe when I live fairly close to it, I know.
* 80. Published a book
* 81. Bought a brand new car- The first and only car I’ve owned myself is named Ruby. She is a ’99 Chevy Lumina, and I bought her in 2000. She’s a bit shabby, but still running well!
* 82. Walked in Jerusalem- Someday I hope to.
* 83. Had your picture in the newspaper
* 84. Read the entire Bible- When we studied the Bible in seminary, we were only required to read certain chapters, but I was an over achiever and read straight through. After reading certain parts of the Old Testament, I understood why the Seminary program recommended only the “good parts” version.
* 85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating- A fish. My bro-in-law Peter caught it, but he let me gut it because I’d never done it before and wanted to try. It was squishy.
* 86. Had chickenpox- I caught a pretty bad case because I was a little older-10 or 11 I think. It was during the summer, so the heat made me even itchier.
* 87. Saved someone’s life- Not that I know of.
* 88. Met someone famous- Does my husband count? I saw actor Bill Patton at a play in London when I was on study abroad. I’ve met Patricia C. Wrede, Michelle West, Lloyd Alexander, Gail Carson Levine, and lots of other authors.
* 89. Joined a book club- almost two years ago. My former roommates and I choose a list of books to read, then get together once a month to discuss them. (Of course, we do a lot of eating and visiting too.)
* 90. Lost a loved one- both paternal grandparents. My grandma died while I was on my mission. When I visited her just before I left, I had a feeling it would be the last time I would see her, but it was still a shock to me when I found out she’d passed away.
* 91. Had a baby- Yes, and he’s very cute!
* 92. Seen the Alamo in person
* 93. Swam in the Great Salt Lake-I think I dipped my toes in it when we went to visit Antelope Island. I don’t remember for sure.
* 94. Been involved in a law suit
* 95. Owned a cell phone- I’m on number 3 now.
* 96. Been stung by a bee- a couple of times. The one I remember most happened at school when I was in Kindergarten. My teacher took me in to the nurse, but the nurse wasn’t around at the time, so the Principal took care of me. He was such a wonderful, kind man.
* 97. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
* 98. Learned to play an instrument- piano, flute, guitar
* 99. Sat on jury duty
* 100. Had a pet rat-only a gross looking rubber rat that a coworker gave me at Halloween years ago. I still have it, and each year when I get out the Halloween decorations, this rat ends up in places like the shower, my bed, the fridge or other startling locations.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Blueberry Boy
I don't think the photo does it full justice, but I took this picture because Joel's face looked tie-dyed, like his shirt. He'd been eating blueberries. The tie-dyed onesie was a Christmas gift from Auntie Jane and Auntie Lauren. They bought tie dye kits to make hoodies for themselves, and decided to also create a signature item for their favorite Joelbaby.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Accomplished Women
A friend of mine was talking about a sewing project she'd completed. She said that one of the things she enjoyed most about it was the feeling of being "domestic" and that it was like sneaking into a secret club that she doesn't really belong to but almost feels a part of. I was confused. From the outside looking in this woman seems like the perfect candidate for the domestic goddess club! So, if she isn’t in the secret club, who is? Maybe nobody. I think at times I look at others around me and assume they are all part of the secret club for which I am not qualified.
This made me think about the expectations that we women have about ourselves, especially we Mormon women. It seems the ideal Mormon Mommy has to have an advanced degree, a successful career, an immaculate home, a fashionable, yet tasteful and flattering wardrobe, well behaved and nicely groomed children. She must do yoga and scrapbook and bake and blog. She must have an organized and well labeled food storage, cook nutritious meals all from scratch, grow a garden, hold a book group, and work with the PTA. She must magnify her calling, support her husband, and care for her children, all while being an independent and well informed member of society. AND she better like it! I think of what Elizabeth Bennet said to Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice when he was enumerating what he required of any he could call an accomplished woman. "I'm no longer surprised at you knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder at your knowing any."
I think I’ve been unconsciously feeling like I had to live up to the standards of the “secret club” now that I’m a stay at home mom, but after observing others around me, I realize that there IS no club. Some women are good at housework. It is important to them, and so they work on having an immaculate house. Others may enjoy sewing. Some are good at baking. Some have a talent for nurturing children. Some really focus on their careers. Some love to spend time playing sports or working out. A few may excel at several of these accomplishments, but nobody does them all-especially not all the time. There are times and seasons for different focuses, just like there are different talents and interests to focus upon.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Snow Clothes
Just in case readers of my previous post were worried, Joel is now quite well prepared for snow and cold.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Movies I watched in 2009
We got a three month Netflix subscription from Brandon's family for Christmas. It has been fun to go on the site and choose movies we want to see, then have them show up in the mail. So far this year we've watched:
Miss Potter - Well made, very fun to watch.
Better Off Dead - I'd never seen it. WEIRD but amusing. It was one of Brandon's faves as a teen.
Rocky - Brandon had never seen it. We both enjoyed it, although the 70's music made us laugh.
27 Dresses - It was okay. I watched this by myself...not that Brandon won't watch chick flicks with me, but he wasn't home when I used it as motivation to fold the laundry.
The Golden Compass - We found it boring and turned it off.
Hoosiers-okay. We're not that into sports flicks
Juno-Thought provoking and well done.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum-Comedy tonight!
Spanglish-Interesting, but more objectionable content than I remembered
Cold Comfort Farm-Hilarious and delightful
Supersize Me-Gross in a fascinating kind of way
Up!-Sweet and very fun. (theater)
Star Trek-Awesome! (theater)
Friday, January 23, 2009
Books I Read In 2009
Once I figure out how to do it, I plan to put a link to Goodreads on the front page of my blog so I can keep track of what I've read. Until then, this will have to do. It's always interesting to me to know what kinds of books people choose to read. You can tell a lot about someone by their reading habits, I think. I wonder what my reading list of the year will say about me?
Small Gods by Terry Pratchet
The 13th Reality by James Dashner
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchet
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollen
Full of Holes by Daniel A Wells (unpublished)
It's A Mall World After All by Janette Rallison
The Glass Castle by Janette Wall
The Housewife and the Moviestar by Sannon Hale (Advanced Reading Copy)
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Extras by Scott Westerfield
Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Small Gods by Terry Pratchet
The 13th Reality by James Dashner
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchet
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollen
Full of Holes by Daniel A Wells (unpublished)
It's A Mall World After All by Janette Rallison
The Glass Castle by Janette Wall
The Housewife and the Moviestar by Sannon Hale (Advanced Reading Copy)
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Extras by Scott Westerfield
Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Pomegranates
I've bought several pomegranates recently.
I was researching online to find the best way to open them, (because I'm nerdy like that-I always look for information about everything) and I learned loads of interesting facts. First, I learned that the best way to get the fruit from a pomegranate is to score the peel with a knife, then open it under water. The red parts, called arils, sink to the bottom, and the white membrane floats. I filled the sink with water, then put a colander in it, and peeled the pomegranate there. It worked out quite well.
Did you know that the word grenade came from the French word for pomegranate? Relics of this fruit have been found in Jericho and dated Early Bronze Age, which is about 3300-2000 BC. Pomegranates show up quite frequently in multiple religions and the mythology of various cultures. (I was only familiar with the Persephone story.) Eating the fruit gives many health benefits. (BTW, I didn't get ALL of that from Wikipedia. I used multiple sources, like a good little researcher.)
I think pomegranates are beautiful-a multifaceted orb made of tiny jewel-like bits that burst tartly sweet juice into my mouth. They're worth the trouble it takes to prepare them in my opinion. Too bad their season is so short.
I was researching online to find the best way to open them, (because I'm nerdy like that-I always look for information about everything) and I learned loads of interesting facts. First, I learned that the best way to get the fruit from a pomegranate is to score the peel with a knife, then open it under water. The red parts, called arils, sink to the bottom, and the white membrane floats. I filled the sink with water, then put a colander in it, and peeled the pomegranate there. It worked out quite well.
Did you know that the word grenade came from the French word for pomegranate? Relics of this fruit have been found in Jericho and dated Early Bronze Age, which is about 3300-2000 BC. Pomegranates show up quite frequently in multiple religions and the mythology of various cultures. (I was only familiar with the Persephone story.) Eating the fruit gives many health benefits. (BTW, I didn't get ALL of that from Wikipedia. I used multiple sources, like a good little researcher.)
I think pomegranates are beautiful-a multifaceted orb made of tiny jewel-like bits that burst tartly sweet juice into my mouth. They're worth the trouble it takes to prepare them in my opinion. Too bad their season is so short.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2008 in Review
Joel in January
Joel in December
What we accomplished...
crawling
standing
cruising
walking
4 haircuts
5 sizes of clothing
8 teeth
Brandon:
5 conventions
18 presentations
24 school visits
37 book signings
60 days of business travel
500,000 words written
Me:
3 professional pedicures enjoyed
17 batches of cookies made (and eaten)
37 books read
152 loads of laundry washed, dried and put away
400 hours spent breastfeeding
1095 diapers changed
Numbers are interesting, but experiences make memories. A few events from 2008 stand out in my mind. Attending the wedding of my friend Rachel was a highlight in June. My trip to the emergency room in July was something I'll never forget. I have some great memories from the reunions and family gatherings that we attended over the year. Going to the Shakespearean Festival in July was very fun. Leaving Joel with Brandon's mom for 10 days while the two of us went to Denver for WorldCon was a little traumatic at first, but also memorable. I really appreciated going to my book group each month. In 2008 Brandon made the New York Times Bestseller list. There are also myriads of experiences that happen too many times to count over the course of a year, but that make my life good-things like chatting on the phone with my sisters, sharing jokes with my husband, playing with my baby boy, having "deep philosophical discussions" with friends, getting a good workout, quiet contemplation, talking to God, and feeling that He listens.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Flingshots
One of the coolest presents I have ever received was given to me this Christmas by my friend Nik. It is a set of not one, not two, but SIX of these. I now have not just the monkey, but the frog, pig, cow, duck, and rooster.
I have a long history with these crazy toys. I first saw the monkeys when they were one of the rewards for participation in a CMS fundraiser. I kept threatening to confiscate them from my students...because I wanted one for myself. When I saw similar screaming monkeys for sale, I had to get several. One became the most coveted item at the 2004 family Christmas white elephant gift exchange. One monkey became my apartment's unofficial mascot. For some reason, which I can't remember now, my roommates and I named the monkey after an insufferable guy in our ward. We would fling him-the monkey, not the guy-across the room at the slightest provocation. Liz still holds the record for both distance and accuracy in monkey flingshot.
I'll never forget the night B met the flingshot monkey. It was New Year's Eve 2005. My roommates and I had decided to throw an impromptu party, and even though we'd only been on a couple of dates by then, I got brave and invited B. I was feeling silly and coquettish, and decided to get B's attention by flinging the monkey past his nose. Unfortunately, I have terrible aim with the things, and the screaming monkey smacked B right in the forehead! Boy did I feel stupid! B must not have been terribly offended, as he did ask me out again. (Not to mention the fact that he eventually married me. ;)
Unfortunately, Dave the monkey did not have as happy an end to his story. He made one flight too many, lost his voice and his stitching, and now sits quietly upon a shelf-a momento of a very fun time of my life.
Several years later I saw different kinds of animal flingshots for sale. I bought a rooster for Nik, who was leaving on a mission. She took the crazy crowing rooster with her, where it provided her with hours of entertainment-and her companions with hours of annoyance. *smirk*
I offer this lengthy history only to explain the elation I felt on opening the present from Nik, and finding a whole collection of flingshot animals! Someone else, however, was not elated. When I took out the monkey from Nik, I put it on my fingers, stretched it back and shot it screeching across the kitchen. J did this:
I was surprised. He usually doesn't react this way to noises of this type. Of course I scooped J up and comforted him, even though Nik and I couldn't help laughing a little bit. After a couple of days, J decided that the flingshot monkey was his favorite toy. He now carries it around with him and doesn't bat an eyelash when the monkey screeches. Here is J with his new friend:
I have a long history with these crazy toys. I first saw the monkeys when they were one of the rewards for participation in a CMS fundraiser. I kept threatening to confiscate them from my students...because I wanted one for myself. When I saw similar screaming monkeys for sale, I had to get several. One became the most coveted item at the 2004 family Christmas white elephant gift exchange. One monkey became my apartment's unofficial mascot. For some reason, which I can't remember now, my roommates and I named the monkey after an insufferable guy in our ward. We would fling him-the monkey, not the guy-across the room at the slightest provocation. Liz still holds the record for both distance and accuracy in monkey flingshot.
I'll never forget the night B met the flingshot monkey. It was New Year's Eve 2005. My roommates and I had decided to throw an impromptu party, and even though we'd only been on a couple of dates by then, I got brave and invited B. I was feeling silly and coquettish, and decided to get B's attention by flinging the monkey past his nose. Unfortunately, I have terrible aim with the things, and the screaming monkey smacked B right in the forehead! Boy did I feel stupid! B must not have been terribly offended, as he did ask me out again. (Not to mention the fact that he eventually married me. ;)
Unfortunately, Dave the monkey did not have as happy an end to his story. He made one flight too many, lost his voice and his stitching, and now sits quietly upon a shelf-a momento of a very fun time of my life.
Several years later I saw different kinds of animal flingshots for sale. I bought a rooster for Nik, who was leaving on a mission. She took the crazy crowing rooster with her, where it provided her with hours of entertainment-and her companions with hours of annoyance. *smirk*
I offer this lengthy history only to explain the elation I felt on opening the present from Nik, and finding a whole collection of flingshot animals! Someone else, however, was not elated. When I took out the monkey from Nik, I put it on my fingers, stretched it back and shot it screeching across the kitchen. J did this:
I was surprised. He usually doesn't react this way to noises of this type. Of course I scooped J up and comforted him, even though Nik and I couldn't help laughing a little bit. After a couple of days, J decided that the flingshot monkey was his favorite toy. He now carries it around with him and doesn't bat an eyelash when the monkey screeches. Here is J with his new friend:
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Birthday Candles
December 19th was the birthday of my marvelous hubsand. (No, that isn't a typo. I wrote it that way on purpose.) I put a lighted birthday candle in his buttermilk pancakes in the morning...and in his macaroni and cheese at dinner...and in his hot fudge brownie sunday for dessert. (He rolled his eyes at me, but he knows that all this is not just an indication that his wife is a pyro, but that she loves him. ; )
Where did the idea of birthday candles come from anyway? (ancient Greeks, according to a quick Internet search) It is fascinating to me how often our celebrations involve things for which we have forgotten the original purpose, but we continue to do them because it is customary. Why do some practices catch on and become tradition, while others fade into oblivion? I may never know the answer to these questions, but I like lighting things on fire, so I'll keep the tradition of birthday candles. (Yes, we do own a fire extinguisher.)
Where did the idea of birthday candles come from anyway? (ancient Greeks, according to a quick Internet search) It is fascinating to me how often our celebrations involve things for which we have forgotten the original purpose, but we continue to do them because it is customary. Why do some practices catch on and become tradition, while others fade into oblivion? I may never know the answer to these questions, but I like lighting things on fire, so I'll keep the tradition of birthday candles. (Yes, we do own a fire extinguisher.)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
First Snow
B thought we should take J outside to walk in the snow for the first time. I've looked for snow gear for the little guy, but haven't yet found anything in his size that is affordable. So, we had to improvise. I put plastic bags over the socks and shoes he was already wearing , and then covered everything with a pair of my socks so that he wouldn't slip. With a pair of his own socks on his hands for mittens, he was ready to take on the outdoors. We only stayed out for about five minutes because it was cold, but J loved it! After we came back indoors and got out of our snow clothes, he toddled up and patted the front door, glancing back at me beseechingly. We'll go out again another day, Jbaby.
Friday, December 12, 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...
We decorated our house for Christmas a while ago, but I finally downloaded some pictures to post. Though it isn't very extensive, We're enjoying the change in decor. J shows this by trying to rip the ornaments off the tree any time he gets close to it. ;) We opted to use our little artificial tree this year so that we could barricade it in the corner. I bought this tree at Walmart in Evanston, Wyoming in December of 2000 when I was teaching school in Lyman. Most of the decorations I had were cheap, old, and shabby, so I bought some cheap, new and shiny ones to replace them. It was fun to look for tiny ornaments to fit our tiny tree. B used his artistic eye to make sure everything was pleasingly arranged.
We now have a Little Town of Bethlehem and a Snow Village, courtesy of Department 56, and B's mom.
We don't have a fireplace, so our "stockings are hung near the heat vent with care, although we know Saint Nick just can't fit through there."
I have been listening to all kinds of Christmas music. I plugged my computer into some speakers so I could go online and use Pandora. (Anyone who doesn't know about this site should check it out. It is way cool.)
I didn't realize what a rough time with post partem depression I was having last Christmas season until this year came around. I find I want to celebrate doubly because I feel so much better than I did this time last year. Hooray for Christmas! Hooray for healing! Hooray for Christ who makes both possible.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes
are delicious. I've made them three times in the last two weeks. The first time was just because I had a craving for something pumpkiny and spicey and warm. That kind of thing happens to me in the Fall. B was still out of town, so J and I ate the entire batch ourselves. The second time I tripled the batch and made them for my book group. The pancakes were a hit. The third time I made them to celebrate B coming home from Book Tour. He is not a pumpkin fan, but he tried my pancake creation and liked it. Three for three. That doesn't usually happen to me with cooking. I can't take credit for the recipe, however. I found it here via a Google search. Of course, like all good recipe robbers, I ended up tweaking this one a bit to suite my tastes and situation. I think my pancakes were especially successful because I served them with Buttermilk Syrup. (This stuff is so good that you could probably drizzle it on cardboard and folks would gobble it up!) There are several recipes floating around, I know, but mine was acquired from my friend Rachel who learned to make it when she worked at Magleby's. And now, without further ado...
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes
Buttermilk Syrup
1 cube butter
1 C sugar
1/2 C buttermilk
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1 T Karo syrup
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add other ingredients and mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, until it boils, then take it off the heat. It will appear frothy, but will cool and distill into a light golden syrup.
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes
- 1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
- 1 t. baking soda
- 2 t. baking powder
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 t. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 t. ground ginger
- 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 1 C. buttermilk
- 1 C. canned pumpkin puree
- 2 T. oil
- 1 t. vanilla
Buttermilk Syrup
1 cube butter
1 C sugar
1/2 C buttermilk
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1 T Karo syrup
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add other ingredients and mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, until it boils, then take it off the heat. It will appear frothy, but will cool and distill into a light golden syrup.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Note to Self
Next time I think I am hungry enough to resort to fast food, I must remember how REVOLTING I find it. Ads make it look so appetizing...
but I am always disappointed when I actually get my meal.
Unlike asparagus. . .which is also revolting. . .
fast food doesn't even have the advantage of being good for you!
but I am always disappointed when I actually get my meal.
Unlike asparagus. . .which is also revolting. . .
fast food doesn't even have the advantage of being good for you!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Happy Birthday to J!
One year ago today our Jbaby was born.
We knew his daddy would have to be out of town this year, so we celebrated J's first birthday early. My family came over to open presents and watch J destroy-I mean-enjoy
this beautiful cake created by the talented Lisa.
Then, a week later we celebrated again when B's family came into town.
This time I made the cake, and it was not so beautiful, but J seemed to enjoy it just as much.
I figured two cakes were enough for any kid, so we are not eating any cake today, even though it is his actual birthday...unless you count pumpkin pancakes. (More about them later.)
It has been so fun to get to know this little boy and watch his personality develop. B and I are glad to be his parents.
We knew his daddy would have to be out of town this year, so we celebrated J's first birthday early. My family came over to open presents and watch J destroy-I mean-enjoy
this beautiful cake created by the talented Lisa.
Then, a week later we celebrated again when B's family came into town.
This time I made the cake, and it was not so beautiful, but J seemed to enjoy it just as much.
I figured two cakes were enough for any kid, so we are not eating any cake today, even though it is his actual birthday...unless you count pumpkin pancakes. (More about them later.)It has been so fun to get to know this little boy and watch his personality develop. B and I are glad to be his parents.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Green Pumpkin
Green Update: I put my reusable bags in the trunk of my car so I'd be sure to have them any time I stopped to buy groceries. Still, on my last shopping trip I forgot to bring the blasted things into the store! Luckily, my sister was with me and volunteered to run and grab them. I have since transferred the bags to the front passenger seat in my car. Their bright green color makes these bags a little hard to miss, so hopefully I'll use them enough to make it a habit.
Last week I bought three pumpkins: a daddy pumpkin, a mommy pumpkin, and a baby pumpkin. For the past few days they've sat on the porch looking cheerful and autumnal. The plan was to turn them into jack-o-lanterns tomorrow. This evening, however, I noticed that the baby pumpkin is gone! I know such thefts are a common occurrence this time of year, but I still felt sad. I guess instead of a pumpkin, J will be represented by a carved potato. *grin*
Last week I bought three pumpkins: a daddy pumpkin, a mommy pumpkin, and a baby pumpkin. For the past few days they've sat on the porch looking cheerful and autumnal. The plan was to turn them into jack-o-lanterns tomorrow. This evening, however, I noticed that the baby pumpkin is gone! I know such thefts are a common occurrence this time of year, but I still felt sad. I guess instead of a pumpkin, J will be represented by a carved potato. *grin*
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