Baby Hunger Pains

We went to hold new baby Wyler this weekend. He is so cute it gave me hunger pains. It doesn't help that Julia looks so pretty and serene rather than sleep deprived and chaotic. She makes it look easy, even with a broken ankle.

On the way down we stopped at Cabela's. I needed to pick up gift certificates so it made a fun halfway point for our trip.

We fed the fish, oohed and ahhed over the stuffed wildlife and then settled ourselves on a porch swing to eat some fudge.

One of our main objectives for the trip was to stock Julia's freezer with meals. Kelly, Sarah, and I spent Saturday morning making and bagging 12 meals plus 2 extra bags of spaghetti sauce. I think I only spent $80 for all the groceries plus meat for a BBQ that night. I need to get myself more orgainzed because this is totally the way to go, for sure I will do this next time I have a baby.

Erik and Kelly were great hosts. They even let us have a Twilight movie night even though Kelly would rather clean toilets than watch it. Miriam had tons of fun with her cousins, but I have never met kids who can dodge a camera better than Josh and Ali so there are no photos.

Heres one of Bub and the Tater-tot though,

and one of the cutest baby in the world yawning,

and a few more of "wylie coyote" (thats my nickname for him).

I don't feel baby hungry very often. In fact, I am more prone to baby aversion, but I couldn't get enough of this little guy.

Here they are Big T and little W, destine to be best friends and partners in crime.

I was so enamored with Wyler I hardly noticed the wind was howling, until we went to drive home and realized that snow tires and chains were required in the canyon. So we HAD to stay another day, hold Wyler some more, play with cousins, and put off all my chores at home for one more day.

The End.

Fish Lessons

After 4 sessions of community swimming lessons, Miriam can finally put her head under water without sucking it up her nose. THIS IS HUGE. Some say I should have thrown her in the water as a baby, some say I didn't take her swimming enough as an infant, some people say they were born afraid of water....whatever it was, and whether or not it is my fault I am very happy for Miriam.

So many of my childhood memories revolve around water I want my kids to have that same freedom, fun, and opportunity.

{Thank goodness the Easter Bunny usually brings a new swimming suit to put in Miriam's basket, she's lookin a little threadbare. }

Costco Discussions

Costco brings out the philosopher in Miriam. We have had more than one shockingly deep conversation while rolling through the isles looking for fresh samples.
For instance, this is what Miriam said a few weeks ago:
"Mom, sometimes I feel like I don't know who I am....like I am watching other people but I forget I am Miriam, and then I remember I am 5 year old Miriam and I have a little brother Bub and you are my mom and I have dad too."

I think I know what she is talking about. I have those moments when I am watching the world as a confused observer, and then I become startled by my own existence. Darin has experienced it as well so it's probably something very common, I just don't remember ever expressing it to anyone. All I could say to Miriam is that I thought I understood what she meant and agree it is a strange feeling.

WELCOME SPRING!

Oh yes, we did celebrated Springs arrival. I didn't make any plans to celebrate but the weather was so great turned out we didn't even NEED A PLAN.

We played outside with friends and neighbors for THREE HOURS.

Miriam had her "KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP"which left us both feeling confident about this transition to elementary school. So far I am starry-eyed about our quaint neighborhood school {no one is bused in....almost all the kids walk, and there are only 3 Kindergarten classes, it reminds me of my small hometown!}.

We got DOWN AND DIRTY in the backyard getting things ready for.....

our little GARDEN!

I was apprehensive about doing the garden thing. I LOVE gardens and fresh veggies and I am not afraid of the hard work {I am my mothers daughter after all} but, I want new flooring and am afraid this project with delay the other. However, Darin and Miriam are so enthusiastic about it I thought I might as well join the party.

The best part of our WELCOME SPRING celebration is that Julia and Jared had their baby today!! I can't wait to get my hands on little WYLER DEAN
Congratulations J&J and little T Marie.

Camera found !

I found my camera after it had been lost for a few days {whew}. Here are the events that were just waiting to be blogged about.

Draper Temple open house.
This was my second time through since I went with the Young Women a few weeks ago, but I was excited to bring the kids and meet up with Mirissa.

What Miriam liked best: The chandelier, the oxen, and the cookies. What Bub liked best: the bus ride, Jesus pictures, the cookies. I liked the brides dressing room.....makes me want to renew my vows. I also love that you can look out onto the Salt Lake Valley and see the Jordan River Temple in the distance. Oh and the cookies.

We had to kill some time before we picked up Darin from work so we went to the zoo dressed in our Sunday clothes. I pulled a wagon through the stinky animal houses dressed in pearls and high heeled boots. We received a few strange looks and a guy offered to pull my wagon up the big hill. I got that wagon pulled all by myself because I am of pioneer stock {and too shy to accept help from strangers}.

After picking up Darin we made it to Logan to see Danielle perform in a fabulous play. She did a great job and it was one of the most entertaining story lines I have seen for a youth play.

Way to go Dani we are proud of you!

K yak is coming along nicely.

Grandpa showed us how to make glass beads. It takes practice, but it is addicting.

I was so sad to discover I hadn't taken any pictures of Alicia's visit...but if she post some on her blog I will steal them off for mine. Alicia is sunshine and laughter. We were lucky we got to see her during her Spring Break.

Miriam took lots of pictures with my camera, which I deleted, except for this one. This one is a keeper for obvious reasons.

Fun with Leprechauns

The LEPRECHAUN that visited us last night was a RASCAL
{I didn't take pictures of the mess he made}

but kind and thoughtful as well.

Happy St.Patrick's Day!
it's so easy being green.

{I'm off to cook the corned beef, cabbage, and green mashed potatoes!}

It's been too long

I have checked my blog everyday hoping that somehow it would be magically updated.
I must be in a blog funk....I guess the wishy washy ways of March do that to me.

But life goes on around here whether I record it or not.

Bub is so terribly sick....look at those fevered cheeks, and look at him smiling through the pain. He was not smiling last night around 2:00 am, neither of us were. We have a Dr. appointment tomorrow morning.

I have learned to make some great artisan bread, and it is soooo easy!

Bub always makes me giggle. Lately I am giggling because he tries on any pair of shoes he can find, and then struts around the house in them. The other thing that tickles me is that he finds a special "toy of the day" which he will carry around all day long. As he toddles around from place to place he will put down and pick up this "toy of the day" always keeping track of it. Its usually a truck or ball, but right now....it's this mini stapler or a hole punch and we have to keep the tools out of his reach. So much like his daddy. Well not the shoe trying, strutting stuff, and Darin doesn't carry toys around....or staplers. Wow, I better clarify this, it's just that he enjoys gadgets and tools like his Daddy.

Golden Moment

Miriam has waited 2 long years for this moment.


Today, because I left my library card in the back pocket of the jeans and washed it, I needed to get myself a new card. "I am five now Mom, is five old enough?" she asked me. "We'll ask the librarian" I answered.

Five is old enough for a golden card, with limited access to just the childrens section which means I had to put Vintage Mickey Classics featuring Steamboat Willie on my card...because that is in the adult collection. I will also need to check out High School Musical 3.

If you have not experienced the thrill of pursuing the walls of books/movies/music at your fingertips for FREE, you should try it. It's like a treasure hunt every week.

Happy Square Root Day!

Today is Square Root Day! "a rare holiday that occurs when the day and the month are both the square root of the last two digits of the current year. Numerically, March 3, 2009, can be expressed as 3/3/09, or mathematically as √9 = 3, or 3² = 3 × 3 = 9." {as reported by Steven Musli from CNET}

Square root day only occurs 9 times in a century, the last one being 2/2/04......which happens to be MIRIAM's BIRTHDAY!? I knew 2 + 2 was 4 and that was a cool birthday but since I can't even remember how to do fractions, the whole square root thing never occurred to me! What fun!

"These days are like calendar comets, you wait and wait and wait for them, then they brighten up your day--and poof--they're gone," Ron Gordon {again,from Steve at CNET}