tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67353086466239745562024-03-05T07:42:33.441-05:00organized chaosLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-62642312210229195762013-09-03T02:42:00.001-04:002013-09-03T02:42:23.094-04:00weekly (ish) letterso, i am going to start writing my letters on the blog, as sort of a journal entry, too. <br />
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this week........<br />
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mostly uneventful. hmmm. that might be the first time i've been able to say that since we've moved here! <br />
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well, i DID get epically and utterly and dismally lost last sunday when i tried to go to a church presidency meeting at another church building. my gps got me to within a couple of blocks of the church, but then it became stubbornly unhelpful, and left me all on my own. this is the thing i have realized about malaysia. if you do not already know where you are going, nothing will help you get there. i drove around and around and around and called loren (who had driven there once, and gotten lost also, but had found it eventually) and maybe got a bit frustrated with him that he couldn't help me out......not his fault......SO, i finally stumbled upon the church, which is not a church building at all, but a building stuck onto the edge of a bunch of other buildings in a strip mall. i was 30 minutes late, but thought that would be okay (just missing the opening prayer and spiritual thoughts and such), BUT the door was locked, and the intercom/doorbell wasn't working. the church is like 3 stories high, and nobody was on the ground floor to hear me pounding away at the door. after standing outside for maybe 20 minutes, trying all sorts of ways to get inside, i decided it probably wasn't safe to be hanging around a scary-ish part of town all alone early on a sunday morning in a dress, looking like i was lost. so, i got back into the car and drove home (only getting mildly lost twice). i should be fired from my church calling, for sure. but now i know where TWO churches are (mine, and this other one). too bad that for my calling i have to visit/find six other ones. when this guy at church found out that i had to find a church in the charas area of kuala lumpur, he laughed, said "ha--good luck", and told me that he'd driven around for 3 hours the first time he'd tried to go there, and had finally driven home without ever finding it. so if you never hear from me again, i am probably trying to find some church somewhere.<br />
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also, speaking of church, somebody swore during their testimony, which was exciting and a bit tense for the rest of us. good times.<br />
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in other news, wellsy learned how to say "hi, my name is wells"!!!!!!!! this is huge, even though it might not seem like it is. we have been practicing this for, oh, like a year. he has never, ever, ever said his name. he would get close, and say "my name is................truck" or something random like that. all of sudden this week, he made a break-through and said it. now he says it to everyone we see, and then says "yeah! high five!" because he is very pleased with himself. the kids say that now he has at least 5 little mice running on their wheels in his head, helping him to be smart. <br />
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he still does not know that he is "two". he never knew he was "one", either. and he is almost "three". sigh. someday, someday. <br />
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oh, one kind of exciting thing happened yesterday. loren had the day off work, but the kids still had to go to school, (that is not the exciting thing, but it was kind of exciting, actually, to have just me, wells, and loren all day......)........so we went to the bird park here. it has lots of birds of all sorts and that was fun, but that is not the exciting thing, either. the exciting part is that i was bending down helping wells in the stroller, and suddenly, i got landed upon by a green parrot. but i couldn't tell it was a green parrot, because it was right on my back behind my head, walking all over the place where i couldn't see it. i gave a little shriek from surprise, but i was not super alarmed because i thought it would fly away, BUT it did not, so then i gave another little shriek from surprise/alarm/uneasiness because it was climbing all around and pecking and sort of digging into my back. loren was laughing so hard, and i was like "help me! help me!" and other people saw and were laughing, too. loren eventually got the bird shooed away, but it was very funny. then i was all hot and very sweaty from all the excitement. <br />
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also yesterday, we had an open house at gretchen's school for fourth grade (last week was high school's, tonight is pace's, and thursday is madeline's..........good heavens!). anyway, gretchen had made us promise that we would go to the gym to see the "mission impossible" course that is set up there. it this really fun course with all sorts of different "missions" that you have to complete to pass it. balancing, climbing, ladders, rope swings, rock walls, etc.....all done without setting of the "bombs" (stepping on the line, dropping the ball, and so forth). loren and i did the whole course (well, loren did--i opted out of one climbing-through-a-tunnel one, and one rope swing one)......it was very fun, actually, and very hot and sweaty again. it was very much an i-am-feeling-the-heat-in-malaysia sort of a day. most days, i am inside or at the pool, so it is not too bad. <br />
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today i walked to hok choon for groceries again. i was much more controlled about what i bought this time (no watermelons), and did not nearly collapse on the way home. we might be buying a second car soon, though, so my days of walking out for groceries are nearly over! actually, it is not something i mind, it's just that i have to go several times a week, because i can't carry enough home to last for more than a couple of days.<br />
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the kids are enjoying school, i think. liesel, gwyneth, and madeline are all taking a rock-climbing class. that is fun. gretchen will be taking gymnastics (starting next week) and pace will be doing soccer, i think, but now i can't remember for sure what i signed him up for. hmmm. better figure that one out. the schools here offer all sorts of after-school programs, which is fun, but i only had the kids sign up for one each (except for madeline, who for some reason got to sign up for rock climbing and arts & crafts.....i guess i am not a fair mother?). <br />
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that is all for now. the school bus is coming soon, and i have to go out to the guard house to meet it. <br />
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love, lauraLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-62576399779356389292013-08-29T02:24:00.000-04:002013-08-29T02:24:20.934-04:00fancy suit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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the documentation of my life would not be complete if i didn't write about the fancy suit. it was the result of desperation on my part about several things: wells not walking until he was 26 months; wells falling down constantly for the next six months after he learned to walk; living in WET, RAINY, COLD washington state; wells desperately wanting to get out of his stroller and explore; me walking pace to and from kindergarten and stopping at a park (nearly) every afternoon on the way home---wet, rainy, cold state of washington and all................</div>
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SO, i did some research on how i could solve the problem of a wet, dirty, cold baby every day. enter the fancy suit. he wore this thing every day from the day i got it until the day we moved. it was like his hazmat suit. i loved it. he loved it. an extra bonus was that i could spot him at the park when he would try to escape from me----i just looked for the little yellow hazmat suit bobbing along. </div>
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i am so sad that i didn't take a picture of him wearing it in real life. ( i was not in picture-taking mode in washington. i have to be in the sun to be in that mode, i've discovered.) so, when i was in utah, and was packing away the fancy suit (that's what wells and i called it), my mom said i should for sure take a picture of him in it. it looks kind of akward out in the sun and all, but use your imagination and picture it in the rain and the mud. (i reinforced the knees with tape. it was very classy.) maybe the best 30 bucks i've ever spent.</div>
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(jen, this makes me actually miss our wet, rainy, cold days at the park:) </div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-77734449061590752892013-08-29T02:05:00.002-04:002013-08-29T02:05:59.310-04:00seven peaks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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we got season passes to seven peaks for super cheap and used them while we were in utah before the move. all the kids were super brave. i think (?) madeline and gretchen went on every single ride. i went on one......with wells on my lap. next time, i won't have a toddler and i can go on all the rides! (i hope i will be as brave as my children are!). <br />
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loren took these pictures of madeline and gretchen going down a ride--i think it's called the "boomerang". loren went on it a few years back, and vowed never to go on it again (and he has stuck to his word!). i just LOVE the girls' faces as they progress through this ride. good job, girls!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-641803702020967562013-08-28T03:08:00.002-04:002013-08-28T03:08:48.365-04:00so, malaysia. and a quick catch-up from the summerwell, so here i am. took me about 5 minutes to remember to how post a new post. not a particularly good sign.<br />
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since i just downloaded 707 pictures, (all from june, july, and august), which is more than i'd taken in the last, like, 2 years, i am trying to decide where to start. <br />
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we had a truly GREAT summer. i am such a summer mom. just let it be summer all year long, okay? i love having all the kids home with me. and the lack of schedules, except for MY schedule. my rules, my way.........(maybe i shouldn't admit that?)<br />
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anyway, the day after school got out (and after sadly, sadly, sadly) saying good bye to friends (and not sadly) the weather, we drove to utah for a two-week visit. much fun was had---we kicked off the summer by going swimming almost every day at amy's pool, going to 7-peaks, and celebrating the 4th of july (early--since we were actually on the plane to malaysia on the 4th. actually, we missed the 4th of july day entirely--we left utah on the 3rd, and landed in malaysia on the 5th. it was weird.)<br />
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so, malaysia. it's great. and different. and mostly good. mixed in with frustrating bits and pieces. like not getting our air shipment for 7 weeks (instead of two), and then having 9 of the boxes be missing. stuff like that. and getting lost on a regular basis while driving. we just plan in an extra 30 minutes for getting lost. but here's a list of the things i like:<br />
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1) meeting all sorts of new people from every country possible---in our apt complex, there are australians, austrians, russians, iranians, norweigans, chinese, phillipinos, indians, brazilians, belgians.......when we moved in, there was only one other american person in the whole complex (and she is married to a french man, so it only half-way counts). now there are three other american families. i put on my outgoing (usually hidden) personality and talk to them all.<br />
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2) most people speak english. hallelujah!!!!!!!!! no, seriously, it's life-saving. <br />
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3) the motorcycle riders wearing their jackets backwards. it makes me smile. i like seeing funny things.<br />
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4) walking to the grocery store. even though it's a pain. it feels industrious. <br />
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5) SWIMMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i should have put this first. and second. and third. i love the pool. love. love. love. i have been doing little swim lessons with wells since the other kids started school. it is the highlight of my day. and i get to do a swim workout every morning. heaven. <br />
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6) driving on the wrong side of the road. it's a rush. and scary. driving is just always a gamble here. but any time i make it somewhere safely, i feel like i accomplished something great. it's not, just like, "oh, i went to ikea today." it's like "WHOA, I DROVE TO IKEA TODAY AND I ONLY GOT LOST ONCE, AND I DIDN'T CRASH, AND I UNDERSTOOD THE CRAZY SIGNS TELLING ME WHERE TO PARK!!!!!!!" see how much more fun that is?<br />
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7) the bum washers. but NOT the squat toilets. those are a mystery to be avoided. but the bum washers come in handy for all sorts of things. you can hose down the whole bathroom and your toddler all at once! (when wells has a dirty diaper at the pool, which he does seem to sort of plan on, he says "better go spray my bottom off"). anyway, they are fun. <br />
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8) doing laundry and yoga outside on a balcony. <br />
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9) the view from my windows. trees, the pool, and downtown kuala lumpur. we have huge windows/sliding glass doors in every room.<br />
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okay, that is enough for now. i will try to add some pictures on now......it ended up being totally random pictures. 707 is too many to go through, it seems. i will do some smaller, less general posts next.<br />
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(at my mom's house in the backyard)<br />
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(at amy's pool. i made them tread water forever, trying to get a good picture, until we realized there was a bench right behind them.....see below. ha!)<br />
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(my grandma and grandpa........jody-ray, as my kids call them)<br />
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(this is how i walk to church if i want to wear heels once i'm actually there. the sidewalks and streets are far too hazardous for anything but sandals.)<br />
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(at klcc by the petronas towers. and the splash park)<br />
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(we left back-to-school pictures until it was a little too late.......this is the kids getting into the elevator to go down to the bus--there are 2 elevators and 2 apartments on each floor in our building)</div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-38037027861269026442012-06-14T17:24:00.001-04:002012-06-14T17:24:36.603-04:00gretchy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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8 ('cause she's 8) facts about gretchen:<br />
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1. she loves to be fancy. she would for sure ditch me and go live with fancy nancy's family if that was an option. she is always looking for ways to add some fanciness to her life. she even added ribbon bows along the sides of her bunkbed to fancy things up a bit.<br />
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2. she is a great friend to pace. he pretty much waits all day for her to get home from school and then attacks her with his enthusiasm the second she walks in the door. she is usually a good sport about it.<br />
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3. she is a super good helper with wells. i am so lucky!<br />
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4. she LOVES reading and is really, really fast and good at it. she has read all the harry potter books, the percy jackson books, fable haven, etc........<br />
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5. she likes to play with her american girl dolls and gets them all fancy (of course) and set up. she makes "beds" and "rooms" for them out of cardboard boxes.<br />
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6. she bears her testimony at church almost every month. she is way braver than i am!<br />
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7. she likes to wear her hair in pigtails.<br />
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8. she made (all by herself and with no prompting from me) a poster about being vegan and took it to school to show her class. this was not an assignment. she is very enthusiastic about sharing what she thinks with other people! <br />
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love you, gretchy!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-64621754987256319872012-06-04T17:24:00.002-04:002012-06-04T17:24:31.985-04:00me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(with a bit of loren and the kids thrown in for good measure). so, here's a rundown of my life since moving to washington: six children. whooee!!! doesn't that look like a lot of kids? i'm still waiting to feel grown up enough to have them. (and, total side note, washington state redeemed itself a bit weather/beauty wise by providing us with this great backdrop for family pictures this weekend--this was taken just outside my backyard.)</div>
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between and around and in amongst taking care of children, i had lots of fun setting up our house here. i think i would rearrange my house every two years even if i didn't move. i just really, really enjoy finding places for everything and making things work in new ways. and since most of my family and friends have never seen my house, and this is pretty much where i spend all my time and energy (besides in the car and at costco), i'm going to grace you all with some house pictures so you can picture where i be! (it's 'am', i know--it just sounded fun to say 'be').</div>
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this is a picture of liesel-and-gwyneth's (yes, they are one word) room. we started redoing it in florida and then finished it up here. </div>
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for christmas i got them a chandelier for their walk-in closet and made them a little hang-out spot in there.<br />
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my main push in this house has been to become super organized. (i've maybe discovered it's a secret passion of mine.) i actually think i want to become (in a far-off scarcely imagined time years from now) a professional organizer. it's just too fun to label and sort and throw things away, i tell you! here's our craft/sewing/piano practice room (the piano's on the other side of the room, not pictured, obviously). i just got to teach a mini relief society thing about organization and i had way too much fun.<br />
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and here's the "extra food storage" cupboards, which are actually in our laundry room, which is just off the kitchen. you can't really tell here, but everything's sort of labeled and in its own spot. liesel and gwyneth gave me a labeler for valentine's day, and nothing in my house is safe now.<br />
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this is our front room--view from the door<br />
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view from the kitchen (that balcony up there goes to l-and-g's room)<br />
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this is from the upstairs hall--the front room is open to the 2nd story all the way across<br />
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this is my room--mostly this picture is to show that i finally hung the curtains behind my bed (something i've been talking about doing since we moved here)<br />
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so there's pretty much the house. when it's not raining (ha!) i will go outside and take a picture of the outside and show you that, too.<br />
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other than housey/organizing stuff, i've been doing a lot of yoga again. a studio opened up less than 5 minutes from my house, which has been super fun for me. i also go running sometimes--mostly in a walk-up-the-hills-run-down-them fashion. i have not gotten on my bike since my bike crash last year (except once when loren made me and i rode so slowly i was worthless, and even got off the bike to walk down some of the hills). i am a big chicken now!!! i FINALLY got my tooth that was knocked loose fixed last week, so maybe now i will start to regain some of my biking skills? i really want to do another triathlon, but we'll see how it goes........<br />
i also got to go to virginia a couple of weeks ago for the annual cabin retreat with my virginia friends. it was SO much fun. i love being with people who've known me for a long time (and still say i can come visit them!). i fully took advantage of the sun there and came home a bit fried, but i say it was totally worth it!!!! rain, rain, go away. <br />
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and here's a bit about loren: he likes his job here a lot better than he did in florida, so that's super nice. he (and i) love the commute--it's the shortest commute we've ever had. he's much better than me at actually running up hills, so he's been doing some races and having fun with that. saturday he did a mud run and had a lot of fun. and as always, he's the best husband i could hope for!<br />
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so, i guess that's it! life as i know it.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-83819832497200351632012-05-31T16:57:00.003-04:002012-05-31T16:57:52.208-04:00my little super hero<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i guess the pictures are insisting on coming before the post, even though that's not what i said i wanted. also, it took me five tries to type 'insisting'. i should have just picked a new word. anyway, this post is about my pace boy. </div>
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this is pace dressed up as joseph for our family christmas nativity. most of the pictures of joseph/pace show him doing ninja moves. in fact, mary (gretchen) and baby jesus (wells) had to stay far away from joseph during most of the nativity. <br />
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pace loved the snow days. he loved them so much that i tried hard to (tolerate) love them, too. this picture is of him during a snow ball fight with loren.<br />
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pace loves to wink, which i happen to think is super cute and funny. <br />
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one of the other moms at preschool took this picture of pace winking as he handed out cookies to everyone.<br />
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pace and gretchen make their own superhero gear quite often.<br />
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pace is 5!!!! holy cow, where did the years go? and, it was actually sunny (sunny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) on his birthday, so he got to play with his new iron man and captain america guys outside.<br />
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other things about him:<br />
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so, pace is totally convinced that he's a super hero. (he's also fully believes that wells has super powers, also--if something strange happens in our house, he says that wells used his super powers to make it happen. i could ask why he isn't using his powers to make himself walk.....) but anyway, back to pace's super hero-ness. he's not just one super hero, either--he can harness whichever power he might need at the moment: if he's putting away the silverware, he's wolverine, with knives between each finger; when he wants to ride his bike outside alone, and i say "no", he says "but mom, i will just use my ninja powers and knock the bad guys down"; the other day we were outside working in the yard and the handle of a shovel slid down the wall and tapped him lightly on his chest, and he looked up in amazement and said "whoa, my chest totally blocked that hit". i LOVE how he is so impressed with the things he does that he is convinced he has super powers.<br />
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it's just so much fun having this boy around. so totally different from my girls, and i love it all!<br />
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-60378560407409927792012-05-23T16:41:00.000-04:002012-05-23T16:41:01.650-04:00well, hellohas it really been since december that i posted?! what the heck-of-a-doodle. (to quote pace). so, i've decided there is going to be no back-blogging here. just a clean fresh start. i will leave you all wondering what in the world we were up to from december through may. and you (and i) will just have to deal with it. <br />
<br />
my friend in virginia (hi--you know who you are) had a great idea to play catch-up on the blog without technically back-blogging. i am going to copy her idea and write a post about each of the kids (and possibly myself, too and loren(?) if i ever make it that far). so, today we will start with the bub of all bubs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_yhDtGAohqG0XqC4MQIv_LcmTYNeB6euaL0NeBlbup1q2IjcfCuibo8myVGnxRFWqblAWyyE5Dy2kmLgokDaz-ZAhwl3lVTeZVGzoqPHe_fWJsVSBJZGuCESaCNZ5X0jS7r0P7-to9c2/s1600/DSCN0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_yhDtGAohqG0XqC4MQIv_LcmTYNeB6euaL0NeBlbup1q2IjcfCuibo8myVGnxRFWqblAWyyE5Dy2kmLgokDaz-ZAhwl3lVTeZVGzoqPHe_fWJsVSBJZGuCESaCNZ5X0jS7r0P7-to9c2/s320/DSCN0137.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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he decided to turn out rather high maintenance (sort of/maybe/probably the reason for the lack of posts lately) and is needing physical and occupational therapy for a whole host of issues (low muscle tone, poor muscle memory, poor motor planning, speech delays, and eating problems). the GOOD news, though, is that he improves pretty much every week, learning something new or strengthening a skill he already had. he can finally crawl, cruise around on furniture, and has recently started being able to walk behind a push toy. his therapists are hopeful that he will be walking by the time he turns two. he is also learning some WORDS (hooray, hooray, hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and has actually held onto about 6 words for two weeks now: up, bye, orange, shoe, school, night-night, knock-knock.........it's kind of a random list, i know. oh, he can also say banana when he wants to. <br />
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he is a super cute baby, though, and i love him to death in spite of himself. here's a little more info on the bubness: he has just decided he likes being sung to, and singing to him in the car and while i'm changing his diaper is the only thing that keeps him happy. he also LOVES to go outside (it REALLY makes me miss florida, i just gotta say.) when it does stop raining he is so happy to go out on the swing or sit on the trampoline. he also really, really likes oranges. and he turns my kitchen into a total sticky disaster when he eats them. he likes swimming, too (we go once a week to an indoor pool). he's so funny in his swim tube--he can mostly keep himself upright, but when he does start to fall forward and he knows his face is going under, he just closes his eyes and blows bubbles and waits for me to rescue him. which reminds me, sometimes he can say "bubbles" also. bath time is also a favorite of his. so is getting into mischief of all kinds. at least now he shakes his head when he knows he's getting into trouble.........too bad knowing he's not supposed to do it doesn't make him not do it.<br />
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so, there you have it. one post down, 7 more to go. easy-peasy, right?<br />
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-29608646625034248832011-12-09T12:46:00.004-05:002011-12-09T13:03:33.496-05:00all in a day's work<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">pace has been asking me for a while when i'm going to get around to hanging stuff up in his room. </div><div style="text-align: left;">today he decided to take decorating matters into his own hands. he was busy upstairs for a long time. when he came back down, he was super excited and wanted me to come see how he'd decorated his room. he kept saying "it's just so awesome, mom. you're gonna love it. you'll be so surprised!"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">this is the first item of decor: a pen taped to the wall, with a blank paper taped next to it. "so i can write my calendar and draw stuff if i need to."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVPYUkUk8S94vBIEMV59LtcPYd193mC5CUyyEEkfxl2iiecFE3NGiTlcXyCcf9ppzTmzJ4je4CwDt_u43NeEORL6xztreRZepEqq2FVJmfHo2UwdH9yV_WhxOpYkMTclPL6E-hhoGi0_5/s1600/DSCF2438.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVPYUkUk8S94vBIEMV59LtcPYd193mC5CUyyEEkfxl2iiecFE3NGiTlcXyCcf9ppzTmzJ4je4CwDt_u43NeEORL6xztreRZepEqq2FVJmfHo2UwdH9yV_WhxOpYkMTclPL6E-hhoGi0_5/s400/DSCF2438.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187155118491266" /></a>next, a blue ornament (gifted by gretchy, who got it from school), hanging next to a blanket artfully draped in the door crack of the closet.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExG4H7HU1KqzBGwaPfdl341K-EoCkVqdJLpEjQo9h9_7sB3qUdFUwnKDjc9W6twzh67C_Yggk4ZWP2BPRo244QJD9mnrgey0-7hYVuXi6Q2TRTKQSNF9neOV2An28OB33kVQDZ-d-TqpD/s1600/DSCF2437.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExG4H7HU1KqzBGwaPfdl341K-EoCkVqdJLpEjQo9h9_7sB3qUdFUwnKDjc9W6twzh67C_Yggk4ZWP2BPRo244QJD9mnrgey0-7hYVuXi6Q2TRTKQSNF9neOV2An28OB33kVQDZ-d-TqpD/s400/DSCF2437.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187140516195426" /></a>another artfully draped blanket, arranged under a jewelry box stolen from madeline.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYEgPxnjKDswKK3gQ6_L4VTQCUFPi9xYXr0aAZxMFqr86ZZPzDUJD9yCRVQ-JIw2IBsL0h7nMVHrny34HDmfvff1Pjd1x6p72usKkiEfIlScoJgizHeiRiZTCu57aoBO8TTA-0WtDYY1V/s1600/DSCF2436.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYEgPxnjKDswKK3gQ6_L4VTQCUFPi9xYXr0aAZxMFqr86ZZPzDUJD9yCRVQ-JIw2IBsL0h7nMVHrny34HDmfvff1Pjd1x6p72usKkiEfIlScoJgizHeiRiZTCu57aoBO8TTA-0WtDYY1V/s400/DSCF2436.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187131658262626" /></a><div>and, tadaaaaa! "mom, look, bet you didn't even know it............a necklace!" hidden under the blanket and attached to the dresser with a climbing hook.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUwDxj_6XtrwgKj0GQ2n9VY_x7RN35_G2fWuws2Q4JpW5V3Q_PoDVOpyeF2saZR8H3pHmVEHYUSlpx3HWKliigfQOd2JwZPx-2Q0fyoXZLC_0cyMRk6lkQ9U43ghyphenhyphenJ4SQ-RKm2fDQSuHN/s400/DSCF2439.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187163160446930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">one more blanket on display. draped over the fan.</span></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyB3oUT8fe9WKHFSsI3qJiXb1muRMe_SAopA3VSFN9NGEEtmfI6e0LZVR0yfHi1zXfqNi9NomdRc6UhdiDivY3oePokb4uAhAnw48kKjyD3Lq8rF5NEy3SDxueYpULl8GP65UbjCIBcT4/s1600/DSCF2435.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyB3oUT8fe9WKHFSsI3qJiXb1muRMe_SAopA3VSFN9NGEEtmfI6e0LZVR0yfHi1zXfqNi9NomdRc6UhdiDivY3oePokb4uAhAnw48kKjyD3Lq8rF5NEy3SDxueYpULl8GP65UbjCIBcT4/s400/DSCF2435.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187128741680530" /></a>and this has nothing to do with decorating, but it does have to do with how things are different around here since we've had a boy. this is now considered to be an appropriate way to say family prayers. <br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6chjxnscGKI-AcNKXGpyoCR7AJQgEpyWNZaBelH7nmUdGP2TOuktDzKKo_4cxK-f-Dw9BVoisxS2e8Pxy29VptMhNQT3C3QF7SxuxFY1KqBy2yo2JUOSrzZ4SUnkRt8BLJBAoxDvbrVwL/s400/DSCF2434.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187334149347378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>and we have the traveling nativity.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5HgS9Zk_ktrhn3IY8Jl0Eu_CmUN4kdQjQ-ChRBir9vnCwVyFLkjqJNDa9gdcsQLJMxXtMZFHpJQbdUYiRTCKdBoe2boXNg0BjYoilUBViLJZpxh8xJ1xcPnxO_ZtyRM4b1VJzgeEhTpL/s400/DSCF2427.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684187323732643714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 281px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-91707004231132473742011-10-28T17:14:00.004-04:002011-10-28T19:21:54.344-04:00can i do this in 15 minutes?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_jnuIdwu2cZD7z0nyen1Z-wLKC12BNWnIATzGIXObzDTl1odW_8aEA3uU6O7lR9jkZK_1nbiaUzJZKifKvGV-spRBRByMc3cqW0jBY44wiZYi94d0PDtSeCVCDYUmdye54yPGh8LJXB3/s1600/DSCF2235.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>so, i have 15 minutes before i have to race out the door to get pace at preschool. we'll see how far i get. mostly it will just be a list of everything i hope to post in-depth about at a future (soonish?) time. <div><br /></div><div>1. we are now in seattle (well, really, issaquah)</div><div>2. it's raining</div><div>3. we stayed for 3 weeks in a hotel (3 different hotels, actually) before we moved in</div><div>4. it is hard to keep 6 children quiet in a hotel room for 3 weeks</div><div>5. some of the children may or may not have gotten locked out of or into adjoining hotel rooms in the middle of the night</div><div>6. we got a trampoline</div><div>7. pace promptly broke his leg jumping on the trampoline</div><div>8. we are on week 10 of having either a cast (named "blue leg") or a brace (named "iron man leg") on pace</div><div>9. wells started therapy for developmental delays and also for food-eating issues</div><div>10. wells turned one year old (we are lying to everyone and saying he's still 8 months, though)</div><div>11. we love our new ward</div><div>12. we miss our pool. we are trying to be good sports, but i'm afraid we got a bit spoiled.</div><div>13. we still like issaquah, even though it is pool-less and sun-less</div><div>14. the kids mostly like it because i finally bought them some boots they've been wanting for 2 years now</div><div>15. 7 minutes left--i will try to post some pictures</div><div>16. one more thing--i really like organizing a new house. i hate moving, but i think i'd really get jittery if i didn't get to start from scratch every 2 years. i have tried a new approach in this house--i label everything--everything has a spot and that spot is labeled and so THERE SHOULD BE NO CONFUSION AS TO WHERE THINGS SHOULD GO! right, children? liesel and gwyneth say i'm going through a post-nesting phase. whatever it's called, i'm having fun!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_jnuIdwu2cZD7z0nyen1Z-wLKC12BNWnIATzGIXObzDTl1odW_8aEA3uU6O7lR9jkZK_1nbiaUzJZKifKvGV-spRBRByMc3cqW0jBY44wiZYi94d0PDtSeCVCDYUmdye54yPGh8LJXB3/s1600/DSCF2235.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_jnuIdwu2cZD7z0nyen1Z-wLKC12BNWnIATzGIXObzDTl1odW_8aEA3uU6O7lR9jkZK_1nbiaUzJZKifKvGV-spRBRByMc3cqW0jBY44wiZYi94d0PDtSeCVCDYUmdye54yPGh8LJXB3/s400/DSCF2235.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668657923920279298" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>iron man leg<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi372K-nx0hSbAOPbfGZaHm63M4qcXsIUz9IzSwcNDa4Ahw7Mw8pvEV9_5WUsfQ1BIbTil9bgKQbWpwAGre2IUlQM2_lHztSv6YH_o17SmNYPd8fFlbSoL093qISRMPJrKoP0m23BtNNYgj/s1600/DSCF2142.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi372K-nx0hSbAOPbfGZaHm63M4qcXsIUz9IzSwcNDa4Ahw7Mw8pvEV9_5WUsfQ1BIbTil9bgKQbWpwAGre2IUlQM2_lHztSv6YH_o17SmNYPd8fFlbSoL093qISRMPJrKoP0m23BtNNYgj/s400/DSCF2142.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668657921668444978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>"blue leg and good leg are friends"--pace specifically requested this picture of them together<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJOe7CCp1Frz-cYKszRJLLTx-Gnoy_9UcIt4tedRvtxOVyxOZcxqEuX5fsi3vvH20QMKczAQ7xBj416f5s3WVcCBZa2L9JuOtpoaLMr8NXKjWuBvtK5rz2JWcMtnuJyWwKMi8vb9DAUn-/s1600/DSCF2146.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJOe7CCp1Frz-cYKszRJLLTx-Gnoy_9UcIt4tedRvtxOVyxOZcxqEuX5fsi3vvH20QMKczAQ7xBj416f5s3WVcCBZa2L9JuOtpoaLMr8NXKjWuBvtK5rz2JWcMtnuJyWwKMi8vb9DAUn-/s400/DSCF2146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668657915086502562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>some moves with blue leg<div><br /></div></div></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-2351037658135692272011-06-28T16:33:00.004-04:002011-06-28T20:32:41.416-04:00the time has come.........<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbYNFLD7AMHU7GF6c0Xr3W1bRhjDY5hKUTLPrGBgzHCJM1zDugJjAJeDAIDZT8AYeFed-WBepNbamEK4kKcPV6McRxQYDRcOhzEpv7PEGHrYFDcyr4EACYC6RaWeINko8sxyZkzX8O83m/s1600/DSCF1367.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbYNFLD7AMHU7GF6c0Xr3W1bRhjDY5hKUTLPrGBgzHCJM1zDugJjAJeDAIDZT8AYeFed-WBepNbamEK4kKcPV6McRxQYDRcOhzEpv7PEGHrYFDcyr4EACYC6RaWeINko8sxyZkzX8O83m/s400/DSCF1367.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623376874859158578" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6ZB3PKajhV-7fe9uBQ-f2STTPneQ1rvmv-8CeM-BnKiE7nW5vTZDhHTzDUdHhibNCzWqwDpINAT1KpaIhX_WJPP6KQS4fowkfz28bj7odLEhyGJZoU0_i7vZ_sAtQ3kDf2M07RLvS2_s/s1600/DSCF1366.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6ZB3PKajhV-7fe9uBQ-f2STTPneQ1rvmv-8CeM-BnKiE7nW5vTZDhHTzDUdHhibNCzWqwDpINAT1KpaIhX_WJPP6KQS4fowkfz28bj7odLEhyGJZoU0_i7vZ_sAtQ3kDf2M07RLvS2_s/s400/DSCF1366.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623376871553711122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GzxHA1dLR10bCcWY44jvKhJI4SgWz60ILZoNFpdGn8H70WUazYZT8kzJCoHL-bErVUqUkINFiaDt2vrTIs4CfyPhRc2gmeZIoEKkLZH0zZtutWVyeZH_sat9Yl6ouF1sf_XSMF717SEa/s1600/DSCF1369.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GzxHA1dLR10bCcWY44jvKhJI4SgWz60ILZoNFpdGn8H70WUazYZT8kzJCoHL-bErVUqUkINFiaDt2vrTIs4CfyPhRc2gmeZIoEKkLZH0zZtutWVyeZH_sat9Yl6ouF1sf_XSMF717SEa/s400/DSCF1369.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623376867218430562" /></a><br />to panic. or to move. both of which are happening this week. i sort of mostly-all-the-way just wish it was already october and i was all settled in seattle. alas, it is only the end of june and i still have a cross-country trip and a month-plus of homelessness to face. BUT in the middle of all that i will get to see my sisters (and mom and dad and davie) and friends and loren's family and so maybe i will survive after all. now, if i can just figure out a way to keep my baby alive and getting fat(ish) during all of that. ha! actually i started a new system that is working well--i only nurse him twice a day and then i feed him bottles of milk that i've pumped and/or been given through many minnie miracles. he gets much more milk from a bottle than he can from me, so since i've been doing this (4 days) he's actually gained weight! and is that how you spell 'minnie'? because i thought it was 'miny' but that must be because i was thinking of 'tiny'? 'minny'? (*the problem of the 'mini' spelling is solved, thanks to the linford family lending a hand in their comments--now that i see it, it's completely obvious that's how it's spelled---*)anyway, i know that was a long story made very short that probably didn't even make sense at all, but it's on my brain, so there you go.<div><br /></div><div>and here's the latest from my pace boy:</div><div><br /></div><div>sunday in sacrament meeting at church he had to use the bathroom, which is highly illegal, of course, but i was not willing to call his bluff, so i let him go out with gretchen. when he came back in, he stopped in the aisle and put his leg up on the side of the bench and just stood there looking around with his leg propped up all straight in front of him. i quickly pulled him into our row and told him to sit down. as i pulled him past me, he leaned in and whispered, "i was just doing some exercises." i think i let an out-and-out laugh escape. he kills me.</div><div><br /></div><div>he's just started getting carsick (a curse he inherited from both loren and me), so we've been talking a lot about getting sick in the car. i was making him do some jobs around the house this morning, and he said "mom, actually i'm house sick. i think we'd better go camping."</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-82806123087614246202011-04-05T19:42:00.005-04:002011-04-05T21:10:07.916-04:00fine, i'll post<div><br /></div><div>the kids have been BEGGING me to post pictures of their new rooms. so, here goes! there are some other random pictures in here, also, and nothing's in a particular order, because that's just how it is.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>i repainted madeline and gretchy's dressers. (i know the pix on the wall are not centered right--we had to change the dressers to allow for their new reading corner, and i haven't moved the pix yet--or put the handles back on mad's dresser)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80h85lgEEcdKdRUEabXYazOqUW6yDao836wVt6SofTw8eBVAgrjKpVB8bPb6btD4-Xcfmb32J3dInzkIhjaPAChyphenhyphenK9SHSiL5rLm05-9rNzAR9QBzfKC3Abggf2bnV2VwCRUrLysknokwW/s1600/DSCF1172.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80h85lgEEcdKdRUEabXYazOqUW6yDao836wVt6SofTw8eBVAgrjKpVB8bPb6btD4-Xcfmb32J3dInzkIhjaPAChyphenhyphenK9SHSiL5rLm05-9rNzAR9QBzfKC3Abggf2bnV2VwCRUrLysknokwW/s400/DSCF1172.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592260248198022882" /></a>here's mad at field day<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mtnCg-4pVA_ihFovImpmWaevlXwu8PEy1W5EUcO6ox1UWZ4mVNvmPwraGKcvnmohtbtwRiaN_E0Ip-C_aZpoKevX7CQbszA-jPCbN8FeXWmiLakFR1x1ygksCveBmAg0hKpa0e6_nXxZ/s1600/DSCF0748.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mtnCg-4pVA_ihFovImpmWaevlXwu8PEy1W5EUcO6ox1UWZ4mVNvmPwraGKcvnmohtbtwRiaN_E0Ip-C_aZpoKevX7CQbszA-jPCbN8FeXWmiLakFR1x1ygksCveBmAg0hKpa0e6_nXxZ/s400/DSCF0748.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592259061678983570" /></a>gretchy at field day<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmAYxedLF42aspRhudNWEns6bDGC_RCm9oC28EKrhTiDf893EI7b8056-Lwo2M2Fw-dlmZEBFIE4NHeIS2m-esmH4dGBbIEEaLM76QCOY58jg-hEPSlN-rk9UfX8nuN2-jH1Dwry2po8P/s1600/DSCF0727.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmAYxedLF42aspRhudNWEns6bDGC_RCm9oC28EKrhTiDf893EI7b8056-Lwo2M2Fw-dlmZEBFIE4NHeIS2m-esmH4dGBbIEEaLM76QCOY58jg-hEPSlN-rk9UfX8nuN2-jH1Dwry2po8P/s400/DSCF0727.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592259057699126546" /></a>pace and the bubs<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54eD20Vtrb3sdzgOrzSos7Q6NMUI4d5iOaWnCVh400lUbM4a7-2VNEZlQEnU8BuXG0DYh-66jaWotJm7OH7RV8O6THQgWmBur7hUMVZjjtjImsAP5t1FNkt3sMaoIWhKzFPoLO1oSQT3y/s1600/DSCF0800.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54eD20Vtrb3sdzgOrzSos7Q6NMUI4d5iOaWnCVh400lUbM4a7-2VNEZlQEnU8BuXG0DYh-66jaWotJm7OH7RV8O6THQgWmBur7hUMVZjjtjImsAP5t1FNkt3sMaoIWhKzFPoLO1oSQT3y/s400/DSCF0800.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592259053336607842" /></a>painted my oak bookshelves black, with turquoise insides. i really like it, even if it's somewhat unconventional.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj515xsmiaIfkDvM2AhyphenhyphenZAFhXzRrKhigshlysENow558C4MkGL50_GHSGgQdmeh9-W_2nURDJQeQMAwpMlSabuTGLbvatLfQlQeq4SFtjVMf5o1rpfSyZb06ILgqt4sJ2X1v9emS4-MZP3/s1600/DSCF0834.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj515xsmiaIfkDvM2AhyphenhyphenZAFhXzRrKhigshlysENow558C4MkGL50_GHSGgQdmeh9-W_2nURDJQeQMAwpMlSabuTGLbvatLfQlQeq4SFtjVMf5o1rpfSyZb06ILgqt4sJ2X1v9emS4-MZP3/s400/DSCF0834.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592259045425556274" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaftuVydVureKfRk0wjirFBBm9XP43J6VF4-n2kfEjz7f5-LruFeggTAFv5WrYR7sjJb_o9PwrzHY8Fkj7CCcg2cuOFwunHctxhBCBqc4wyiRvo1LJd3rfgoel_uMPsYuiPpOW4gPYzvbx/s1600/DSCF0833.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaftuVydVureKfRk0wjirFBBm9XP43J6VF4-n2kfEjz7f5-LruFeggTAFv5WrYR7sjJb_o9PwrzHY8Fkj7CCcg2cuOFwunHctxhBCBqc4wyiRvo1LJd3rfgoel_uMPsYuiPpOW4gPYzvbx/s400/DSCF0833.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592259044533923506" /></a>liesel and gwyneth made these canvases themselves. it was quite the project, and very fun.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsPtULxNcc4PEX3wMhBQPLMpjiOR1NDFV5ipmnYZ8Fe-Fa0NqhbOPP_27aYVvkwussotbrUOhKks14zkTdLSMjh3hPkENByAIlv_tg3as_dgVaVQUiK068Q-91TYCeqNf3rcBBa6cZvnx/s1600/DSCF1202.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsPtULxNcc4PEX3wMhBQPLMpjiOR1NDFV5ipmnYZ8Fe-Fa0NqhbOPP_27aYVvkwussotbrUOhKks14zkTdLSMjh3hPkENByAIlv_tg3as_dgVaVQUiK068Q-91TYCeqNf3rcBBa6cZvnx/s400/DSCF1202.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592255247444916114" /></a>i painted their dressers turquoise.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJUf8A7eHb5uq2k8Z1XWhn0JbutGEyoWnszoeIkdzWhQPXtX7lPBLVE4T13dkSGq2KFbPmrCzgx3WvQiBwgT59kQ3udnBtWIvi6eJkSjZXEcMSydB4Z0lOFj17P3jgNvID8iyUooGzbK1/s1600/DSCF1201.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJUf8A7eHb5uq2k8Z1XWhn0JbutGEyoWnszoeIkdzWhQPXtX7lPBLVE4T13dkSGq2KFbPmrCzgx3WvQiBwgT59kQ3udnBtWIvi6eJkSjZXEcMSydB4Z0lOFj17P3jgNvID8iyUooGzbK1/s400/DSCF1201.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592255242618445618" /></a>i made some new pillows for my bed. also painted the lamps and got new shades. can you tell we're on a turquoise kick around here?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_AqlYmKt2nqpVjEqo_9YvvNwynOwP-AiLptD32_nl95AcMsqCOmpmLXcU226SvY2xl2wnBhy3CNtM-bwqyzi44rFy810dk-FFaPRn9qhrz024-6s1QDgCAzRA_a0aWjOLYT1xCQLFrxh/s1600/DSCF1175.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_AqlYmKt2nqpVjEqo_9YvvNwynOwP-AiLptD32_nl95AcMsqCOmpmLXcU226SvY2xl2wnBhy3CNtM-bwqyzi44rFy810dk-FFaPRn9qhrz024-6s1QDgCAzRA_a0aWjOLYT1xCQLFrxh/s400/DSCF1175.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592255236607650946" /></a>here's a really bad picture of the reading corner (two pink chairs under a canopy) and pace illegally climbing on the beds.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYsJc-N22VMIrmxtOVEvPdvB4ioqTS1cG0luQ3GUwLxM5_4wKIXBBv_u0qKYgAQ2zwk5tgNgGgI9yDfxkA7kgejOvkCyXTboAdzH047_IHLO5UNyFZAA0aX4c_x1mqSS_ft91ugKvS4Qw/s1600/DSCF1173.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYsJc-N22VMIrmxtOVEvPdvB4ioqTS1cG0luQ3GUwLxM5_4wKIXBBv_u0qKYgAQ2zwk5tgNgGgI9yDfxkA7kgejOvkCyXTboAdzH047_IHLO5UNyFZAA0aX4c_x1mqSS_ft91ugKvS4Qw/s400/DSCF1173.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592255234291246898" /></a>painted the beds, also, and the frame of the canvas that my great grandma gave my mom, that she gave to me!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVvJVawDFEknHSoHReZDwlxjJhTuLnX2rt74nsGhmGr3hABFaEEgZBJKg022JBqbN8T2Ftia3YicKs2F3mgTZWQOUESogSpMiRo9kD0UfJgZgwMabosbuIWegv7QHeSln9_onIQxkeWqX/s1600/DSCF1170.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVvJVawDFEknHSoHReZDwlxjJhTuLnX2rt74nsGhmGr3hABFaEEgZBJKg022JBqbN8T2Ftia3YicKs2F3mgTZWQOUESogSpMiRo9kD0UfJgZgwMabosbuIWegv7QHeSln9_onIQxkeWqX/s400/DSCF1170.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592255230598679170" /></a><br />don't know why i've been such a blog slacker lately. i have lots of things to say, but i don't really have the energy to organize anything into anything readable. possibly because i've been painting everything (not really, but close) in my house, plus nursing a baby. paint, nurse, paint, nurse. that is how i spend my time this month. painting is fun, and my baby is cute, so i guess i could find worse ways to spend my time, right? plus, liesel started therapy up again, which adds some busy-ness in to my days. PLUS, i am in this crazy post-baby-getting-ready-to-move nesting/decluttering/cleaning phase, so inbetween the painting and the nursing and the therapy i'm cleaning out the little metal track thingy on my french doors (just to give you an example of what i got distracted by today). i also redid and organized the office. it's kind of like i can't face the big stress of moving unless i get everything organized here first. which seems kind of backwards---why not wait until i move, since i'm going to have to redo it all in 3 months, right? but, my brain thinks better when things are all set-you-bet, so there you have it.<div>let's see.....what else to say? </div><div>liesel's doing really well. she bent her leg to 102 degree yesterday in therapy (just past a right 90 degree angle) which is a HUGE deal for her/me/us. it still hurts to bend it, but it's getting better. she can walk pretty well now--not quite back to normal (still slow--she does this hop/skip/limp thing when she wants to go fast). </div><div>the kids have been spending lots of time in the pool again, which makes me happy! i can't bear the thought of leaving it in 3 months........</div><div>we went to the beach twice this week, too. just trying to soak it all in before we go. </div><div>liesel and gwyneth went to girl's camp during spring break. they had so much fun and came home singing all the camp songs and teaching them to the other kids. it totally reminded me of when i came home from camp my first time. and it does NOT seem like that was long enough ago to have children doing it.</div><div>pace spends all his time either swimming or dancing and singing. liesel and gwyneth turn on youtube videos while they're doing schoolwork (i know, i try not to care.......) and pace hangs out with them and learns all the songs and the dance moves. he is so cute when he dances, but as soon as i turn on the video camera he gets all weird. i'll keep trying. he did a full handstand the other day while he was dancing. he was so surprised at himself. he looked at me and said "mom, i got sticked upside down for a long time!"</div><div>wells is a really good baby. really, seriously good. it's a good thing i nurse him or i'd never hold him--he's just really happy playing by himself. and, he made himself even cuter by learning how to do a kissing face and noise this week.</div><div><br /></div><div>this is him sort of doing his trick.</div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwirrixznbfIoqTchzjucxBy2FyedTlyMcjMj_dAyWUKQuq_FEsT1bTwAaZTQPNmMvoe1Tn3uyj99LrVSD5Hw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyWxnVomEIwC4UmH2f7VsKJGRH7o7kErHK5tWdt-ZunRn8MXGQKPJ0eHqSq-zqSCyWL36wivKN-kEyWA3Feww' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-48110727582095378792011-03-05T13:46:00.003-05:002011-03-05T14:00:29.122-05:0012!liesel and gwyneth turned 12 today! we just got back from getting their ears pierced. fun stuff. here are some of their thoughts about being 12:<div><br /></div><div>"being 12 hasn't had as much of an impact on me as i thought it would" (liesel)</div><div>"kids grow up so much faster than adults" (liesel)</div><div>"being a kid goes by so fast! being a teenager goes by even faster" (gwyneth)</div><div>"we promised ourselves we wouldn't be brats when we turn 13. why would be brats now?" (both)</div><div><br /></div><div>time to get sappy now. i love my girls! this year has been way too hard, but i'm so glad i've been able to be home with them. we have had a good time doing projects and learning to sew together. we just redid their room (all diy projects) and it was SO fun! </div><div>i'm glad i have twins. watching them together is one of the best things in my life. i couldn't ask for better children!</div><div><br /></div><div>and the reason there are no pictures in this post is because loading the pictures on is what always keeps me from posting! pictures next time. (soon?) and pictures of liesel and gwyneth's new room and other projects we've been doing.</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-14626393349398666222010-12-15T13:41:00.005-05:002010-12-15T14:45:34.381-05:00no particular title<div><br /></div><div><br />my baby's taking a super long nap and i have a couple of surprise spare moments! i don't have anything in particular to say, but i do have some cute pictures i can post........</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>who needs an ipod? this is the new generation of boom boxes. i found pace walking around holding the little-people nativity stable upside down on his shoulder so he could hear it play "away in a manger" better. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlswDC6ddQrw7Y2-skWL7r0amUbcvJcRnKu4RsOhxl4B8WVfVkXvzERRPJg1Oo0Egyixzr8y0UVeKojn5u5Q4VMqmpTOtgTk8FcWAyhHZ8f64LpLT-SNHe2TJnWD0fG57tiKGNCpiWFViX/s1600/DSCF0117.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlswDC6ddQrw7Y2-skWL7r0amUbcvJcRnKu4RsOhxl4B8WVfVkXvzERRPJg1Oo0Egyixzr8y0UVeKojn5u5Q4VMqmpTOtgTk8FcWAyhHZ8f64LpLT-SNHe2TJnWD0fG57tiKGNCpiWFViX/s400/DSCF0117.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550995719603668338" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">liesel and gwyneth organized a family olympics competition. we did an obstacle course, swimming events, free-throw shots, sit-ups (i did 4 the first time--ha! i tried again and squeaked out 31), push-ups, hula-hooping........when it wasn't his turn pace practiced his motorcycle-riding skills.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXtxpYkBu0pSRaoTdNiWXLFKCk16YIWlsrLnfCT1I8srAh2M99ww9cFJeCuEwP4C2t78663J7RgQL713pTfH1SQYMt_UmibjkQ7dqsl2CIUe3wU0yW0A1G_lHS9-3eKbPz3UkkypK3ruB/s1600/DSCF0076.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXtxpYkBu0pSRaoTdNiWXLFKCk16YIWlsrLnfCT1I8srAh2M99ww9cFJeCuEwP4C2t78663J7RgQL713pTfH1SQYMt_UmibjkQ7dqsl2CIUe3wU0yW0A1G_lHS9-3eKbPz3UkkypK3ruB/s400/DSCF0076.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550992750347772770" /></a>here is liesel doing her push-ups<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yClz5N0V6ZGUhRIgCjdftKltc898ri3hElHumnxLg8rQdR9Hm87ALG_og1Co4-h_hXw7VvS-v2zmOhyphenhyphenioeAK9hFAwTWShWJ0zovN-rdaZVeBxZOiR19N_rDtOqW9nQE5WkY2EB-sJvi3/s1600/DSCF0067.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yClz5N0V6ZGUhRIgCjdftKltc898ri3hElHumnxLg8rQdR9Hm87ALG_og1Co4-h_hXw7VvS-v2zmOhyphenhyphenioeAK9hFAwTWShWJ0zovN-rdaZVeBxZOiR19N_rDtOqW9nQE5WkY2EB-sJvi3/s400/DSCF0067.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550985005628292130" /></a>i love decorating the tree. it might be my favorite part of christmas. this picture of madeline captures our excitement.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckU3oYUbdl-hmoGfQyRIpUrr1KwheIpAbln-b6kwl-kb5U99W1S4jStNJrez9AGcBSJHbU9AzxryisyAGMs9K_juLWGmR04BdKFWy2RW_ohGZx_S9qjJowGBhG4OI3HgsXG7GTPalzVII/s1600/DSCF0020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckU3oYUbdl-hmoGfQyRIpUrr1KwheIpAbln-b6kwl-kb5U99W1S4jStNJrez9AGcBSJHbU9AzxryisyAGMs9K_juLWGmR04BdKFWy2RW_ohGZx_S9qjJowGBhG4OI3HgsXG7GTPalzVII/s400/DSCF0020.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550984997758428034" /></a>a good use for extra ornaments.........<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISGQm4HupovXOZ9-_X9y7oYbEwBQR9F-M-TKuBiXX8nKA_ghkaCTZR1_4WkFf2a6H9ZJaJCFbKq7W5S0vKbkMTFftSi8ghWPuS4Si8A4f_0sdooU952aOrudFunHVXZ7U48QgcAijm7QK/s1600/DSCF0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISGQm4HupovXOZ9-_X9y7oYbEwBQR9F-M-TKuBiXX8nKA_ghkaCTZR1_4WkFf2a6H9ZJaJCFbKq7W5S0vKbkMTFftSi8ghWPuS4Si8A4f_0sdooU952aOrudFunHVXZ7U48QgcAijm7QK/s400/DSCF0014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550984989829009906" /></a>we went to the everglades a couple of weeks ago. we kept forgetting liesel was in a wheelchair and kept leaving her behind. pace took pity on her.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oK7X6Vx99E_oD9A84n5yFdG5rY6A2RnvN-nY0ROx56E9P5bAfe0AAZHwkMADK22ZuXtVyn69QnSBqHfM9CdyPXBnqyOgmuZLfwrLlkCE5avudwUw4Mp4Kk0bqzSwz4etXq9AzNamA12s/s1600/DSCF9875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oK7X6Vx99E_oD9A84n5yFdG5rY6A2RnvN-nY0ROx56E9P5bAfe0AAZHwkMADK22ZuXtVyn69QnSBqHfM9CdyPXBnqyOgmuZLfwrLlkCE5avudwUw4Mp4Kk0bqzSwz4etXq9AzNamA12s/s400/DSCF9875.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550984987851403090" /></a>does it look like we have a really big family? i never think it's that big until i catch a glimpse of us all together. yikes!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBViGZIY0obpKsvbFJ18FR0eX3OCD-j0nbDxe4Q0EzYG75RIGUBdypq5nlkrzkvMvEJxqU5j0QrK4zM6jcjqT9FCueSSKX_LDuzW3vkhwzcuqg0ZjP-ZoJlnkztTcWMYwxUeNpZsEzNWC/s1600/DSCF9872.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBViGZIY0obpKsvbFJ18FR0eX3OCD-j0nbDxe4Q0EzYG75RIGUBdypq5nlkrzkvMvEJxqU5j0QrK4zM6jcjqT9FCueSSKX_LDuzW3vkhwzcuqg0ZjP-ZoJlnkztTcWMYwxUeNpZsEzNWC/s400/DSCF9872.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550984979044308706" /></a>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-4464975712966504732010-11-18T13:18:00.005-05:002010-11-18T14:11:09.620-05:00just some randomness<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFseeaKOT4aJ0l0XjBVhXHnHzJ3lV0Ugs4Hiwq_1UVrAFoeObQiaTK1IVIMUfN55ONCOXWhJvS7k4Kfu26rB_BP06ObyF0P44sJhIKKFunN84Mf584xX8pSYfdjUdTDP53xsEbXqAIDYk/s1600/Oct+27%252C+2010.jpg"></a><div><br /></div><div>first of all, here are two funny signs that i'm letting things slide a bit around here:</div><div><br /></div><div>#1 gretchen (6 years old, remember) put pace in bed last night. totally by herself. no input from me. i didn't even know she was doing it. she had him go to the bathroom, she put him in his pajamas, read him a book, and hefted him into his crib (yes, i know he's 3, but why wreck a good thing by putting him in a real bed?). </div><div><br /></div><div>#2 gwyneth and i were looking at her faith in god book to see which things she could check off. one of the requirements was "planning and preparing a meal". she laughed and said "hello, only like a million times!". </div><div><br /></div><div>thank heavens for good children!!!!!!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">luckily, she still finds time to sneak in a good book while hula-hooping</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B725uLQaIn-99I-PXFE-sBOoluSYD4siXSCMTZg1kDqf80Xp57MM_4cEH94fhJtGVsg8owBibvfN6LIiVvV-Qv6AC56eNyHR_k2V2jIc8QRPoP6E5PPLxyujyx5KnvXgyrB0YPQhT-2P/s400/DSCF0006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540956760567721362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">in other news: this is how pace spends a good portion of his time these days. eating cookies and waiting for wells to wake up so he can give him his pacifier.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhDoUMIyXvN7N81t4JgE489cqW3SR2qBNbDeCBmyg0KH0iqbaHVlduv4s4juHRkCMBRJvF2Ycxm89ktHaFCjRusuSMZprHsObSSze19GBfaryzk6cE8TLnYpRzLPIhvL0dAMN7fDGwPtL/s400/DSCF0003.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540956781465967650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>wells got blessed. better pictures to come when i have time to get him redressed in his blessing outfit.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKsThBrcsYvVCKt19p5gHhpgFni4Of7f5yLj1hRTaszf-F4VFLDLCWUqrfsFrEj0IgybvH6C0G1krkMhxSk55SzLR7RDCd9A3B0Q2PxOz5pzmFB2PK-P6nFos7BT8U6tpfSEVfxN_ed22/s1600/DSCF9917.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKsThBrcsYvVCKt19p5gHhpgFni4Of7f5yLj1hRTaszf-F4VFLDLCWUqrfsFrEj0IgybvH6C0G1krkMhxSk55SzLR7RDCd9A3B0Q2PxOz5pzmFB2PK-P6nFos7BT8U6tpfSEVfxN_ed22/s400/DSCF9917.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540956788513117282" /></a><br /><div>and we did do halloween.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFseeaKOT4aJ0l0XjBVhXHnHzJ3lV0Ugs4Hiwq_1UVrAFoeObQiaTK1IVIMUfN55ONCOXWhJvS7k4Kfu26rB_BP06ObyF0P44sJhIKKFunN84Mf584xX8pSYfdjUdTDP53xsEbXqAIDYk/s400/Oct+27%252C+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540968568079197010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-51976062131342927652010-10-24T14:11:00.003-04:002010-10-31T18:14:27.524-04:00maxwell: beast/wells/newbaby/wellsmax<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRBsdYKbMi3Cwi61rKpoL7molD8rNX7dARf9_0ShlMZbFOyL90KCByCma7r6ca0QyjV43LaQlO9UlGL5Q-B0h3zrsQ2u2h98cOCgmy4_lmlNfM2KMwRRi37SFrTPmT522xG9my_B_CJcG/s1600/DSCF9788.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRBsdYKbMi3Cwi61rKpoL7molD8rNX7dARf9_0ShlMZbFOyL90KCByCma7r6ca0QyjV43LaQlO9UlGL5Q-B0h3zrsQ2u2h98cOCgmy4_lmlNfM2KMwRRi37SFrTPmT522xG9my_B_CJcG/s400/DSCF9788.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534335078840290546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XK7n2pDY18V5UEtc9t8TduzX2es8jM4zbbXnKWVXnhN-YVjEUGjHH1cmyE4yJFJ14TTdOZUchmcZBFRXZC-yCEab8LhmBQ4ngzPgdZfOQrhFI3DGVAG_KJea9KWhFdIUCPlIlk987SCy/s1600/DSCF9793.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XK7n2pDY18V5UEtc9t8TduzX2es8jM4zbbXnKWVXnhN-YVjEUGjHH1cmyE4yJFJ14TTdOZUchmcZBFRXZC-yCEab8LhmBQ4ngzPgdZfOQrhFI3DGVAG_KJea9KWhFdIUCPlIlk987SCy/s400/DSCF9793.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534335070842578402" /></a><br />4 weeks old today! i still can't quite believe i have 6 children. i guess the 9 months of pregnancy weren't enough to prepare me. i really, truly, and seriously can't believe i've had a baby for almost a month. i think that most of my brain is taken up with other things and i'm just fitting the baby in between things. it's a good thing i'm nursing him so i get a good excuse to really hold him every couple of hours. <div><br /></div><div>so, here's the rundown on the bub. he weighed 7.11 lbs when he was born, and at his 2-week checkup he was 8.1 lbs, so he's filling out quickly. he's working on a bit of a double chin. it's funny that he can seem chunky, since he's still a full pound lighter than gretchy was when she was born. ouch! i'll take the 7-pounders any day, that's for sure. he sleeping really well at night (i feed him at 8:15 and he doesn't nurse again until 5:00) and is taking some pretty good naps during the day. the kids all love him, of course, and it's nice to have so many helpers. pace hates it when i put wells to bed for naps, though, and says that wells will "miss him too much to sleep". we are very glad that wells (so far) is a low-maintenance baby. he is starting to make his first baby-talk noises, which is very cute.</div><div><br /></div><div>here's the rundown on liesel. 2 weeks ago the dr. said that the next 2-3 weeks would be the hardest yet. liesel and i about died. we were like "um, i thought we already <i>were</i> doing really hard.....". the first week after he made that announcement actually went well (as well as being in lots of pain and having a no-fun external fixator can be), but last week was a bear. by far her worst since the first week after the surgery. her main pain right now is from the muscles being stretched so tight. her leg has now been stretched 4 1/2 centimeters, and her muscles are really fighting it. her dr. is really proud of how she's handling it. i think she might be his best patient ever.</div><div>we got good news on friday, though! we are done with the stretching phase, which means the muscles will have a chance to catch up, and the pain should get more manageable. we have a couple more days of turning the struts on the fixator to get her knee aligned better (her knee was slightly knock-kneed, and the bone in her lower leg was bowed, so the dr. is using the fixator to correct some of that). we'll go back to the dr. on tuesday to find out if the knee is in place. already, her pain is much more manageable in her thigh than it was last week. her knee is pretty sore today, but overall it's much better. she was able to walk around last night a bit at the halloween party we were at, which she couldn't have done at all on thursday. we are hoping that it keeps getting better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now we just hope the next 5 months pass VERY quickly (4 in the external fixator, 1 without the fixator, but on crutches/walker/wheelchair again to make sure the bone is stable).</div><div><br /></div><div>oh, i forgot to tell about maxwell's labor/birth. friday night (october 1st) loren and i went on a brisk hour-long walk--my goal was to have maxwell over the weekend so loren wouldn't have to come rushing home from work (even though it was almost 2 weeks before my due date, i was done being pregnant--plus, i'd been dilated to a 3-4 for almost a week by then). saturday all day i was really crampy and achy and had some really big contractions, but nothing regular. by saturday night i was having more contractions--still nothing regular, but hard enough that i called loren while he was at the priesthood session of general conference and had him come home from it early. when he got home we went on another walk (not brisk at all--more like a waddle, and only around the culdesac a couple of times). it still didn't make the contractions any more regular, so i decided to take a bath to actually <i>stop</i> the contractions so i could go to bed. i got to bed at about 12:00 a.m. and slept until 2:00 when i got woken up by a whopping big contraction. i expected to start having contractions then every 2 minutes or so, since that's what i did with all the other kids, but i didn't have another one for 15 minutes. it was another huge one, though. i waited for one more contraction (15 minutes later again), and then woke loren up to tell him that even though the contractions were 15 minutes apart, it was definitely the real thing. we left for the hospital at about 3:00. i was trying out the hypnobirthing method for the first time (i highly recommend it, by the way, if you are going for a natural childbirth) so i started doing my deep breathing/relaxation stuff. at the hospital we got all checked in and i was dilated to a 7. the contractions were still 10-15 minutes apart, so i was totally able to relax in between each one. they stayed that far apart until i was a 9, and then i had a few that were 5 minutes apart, and then i felt like i was going to have to push soon, so the nurse got the dr. and i pushed through 3 or 4 contractions (these were the ones that really hurt--i do not like my transition/pushing contractions at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and he was born at 8:45 a.m. i got to hold wells right away for a long time before they took him away for cleaning and all that other stuff. he nursed right off and was making everyone laugh because he was gulping and swallowing like he was getting tons of milk, but of course it was only a couple of drops. </div><div>anyway, i really liked the hypnobirthing method--it was a very calm way to go through labor. the recovery was easier, too, because i hadn't expended much energy during labor. it was an all-around satisfying way to have my 6th baby. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCdLstFAmIOwWlBbb7HM6kyoFkrbJn9kU3X97XXsHCHxDf4b4qPG_ZYe6LP06qArDbpaFT17lgPxUPntzRZQiWi4DTk6XKHkVdvWvqDoJXVvdJT76ZCWIQIX2e7DXs9lwfwKogDROR5Qa/s400/DSCF9783.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534335073116256290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">this picture has nothing to do with anything in this post, but i think it's cute, so here it is. he's being a swim coach for madeline and gretchen. the other day i heard all this whistle-blowing and i looked out and saw the kids taking turns being coaches and swimmers. pace even took turns being a swimmer, doing laps across the pool. his "backstroke" is hilarious. he totally looks like he's drowning because he swims on his back with his face under water and his arms flailing around like crazy. he comes up every few seconds for a breath with a big old grin on his face. somehow he can make it across the whole pool like this. i tried to make a rule that he can't do backstroke anymore, but he wouldn't listen to me. </span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-37732034744190464492010-09-27T14:46:00.005-04:002010-09-27T15:57:40.011-04:00surgery<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">here she is, waiting for the surgery.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOswG7Dq58TdKpe9_BJWCJGRwGtS-PFKL0k0D7A0QEcS2ZRKFY1Hb7CqxWWnQVmLINyfU_liDe_mjYVmfhOfi-cKgHeJjI2wywr6aZi_YYqg5V3_DKe3oaDopcWBn80eHm3_VxEDH63zL/s400/DSCF9547.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521677209966708018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">the day after surgery. the hospital had a scrapbooking activity.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQ42ItbO025l_yuchDWVVY4cc1qUPZRSifTwfaxSUomVs1lzLqhXgtaQR39j_IvHzArPxw2iEihJEkHINpxYy-3uONSMhyds4ZtvUBPPhWZtAtBieGkxLh7sVkMB_2Ecz_QqaufRLl5gy/s1600/DSCF9551.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQ42ItbO025l_yuchDWVVY4cc1qUPZRSifTwfaxSUomVs1lzLqhXgtaQR39j_IvHzArPxw2iEihJEkHINpxYy-3uONSMhyds4ZtvUBPPhWZtAtBieGkxLh7sVkMB_2Ecz_QqaufRLl5gy/s400/DSCF9551.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521677215497022738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">gwyneth had all sorts of good ways to cheer liesel up. sisters are way better than moms when it comes to that sort of thing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28BU_YtPfjUF3bG2PmdOGwtcKL3mhBtM0Znw_YvjK7_si6eDN3FLz3ZjmjC79jlXLbH_t0nCnGQasncg9P-sHOlH9RrG5lId5WxSXbNsARdmv1-HxmLrJEY1uaFluWpd3dDWK_A6aDTbq/s400/DSCF9550.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521677210647254994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>physical therapy.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9akUFqlTHb3E54FqNV8PhQTZdaujeZ6koA2uicTmEmly5tWIZDzfHbCYr6xoLWdSgKI7U-N5JodYQ0POjNJMJF-SDkW2diVk4EST53ah0-AHpl26-VrkYwPwHhP0HF1dD1kakZcGJzfo1/s1600/DSCF9655.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9akUFqlTHb3E54FqNV8PhQTZdaujeZ6koA2uicTmEmly5tWIZDzfHbCYr6xoLWdSgKI7U-N5JodYQ0POjNJMJF-SDkW2diVk4EST53ah0-AHpl26-VrkYwPwHhP0HF1dD1kakZcGJzfo1/s400/DSCF9655.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521681191045227266" /></a>and here it is.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGqV70QDVzZ5KVuKiWUUyzGWP8sSF40GF6RTrpoLtxS2bxeVpddsQfo59JdPa5Bo1xMn8rUcBDC-CLGYH2MuoE4xiUaqC813qhVe7SPAfLmFlSJ1Zl6FcPr4FSsfej4wKok6WjE0Rhc8u/s1600/DSCF9676.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGqV70QDVzZ5KVuKiWUUyzGWP8sSF40GF6RTrpoLtxS2bxeVpddsQfo59JdPa5Bo1xMn8rUcBDC-CLGYH2MuoE4xiUaqC813qhVe7SPAfLmFlSJ1Zl6FcPr4FSsfej4wKok6WjE0Rhc8u/s400/DSCF9676.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521681184055180834" /></a>be glad i didn't show you a close up of this hole 3 1/2 weeks ago. this is looking good.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2lECnE1-clNOPpuvzf-RXXhInoLtxtn7R4NryCB4WPzDAoCuOKdtHjgJ3l0V18dOQHBdDXOS1JmMTeORaxY0hYd0ck2aWoSHwc4r8xD3-48cpx0CLv6oY1diWsuJu434Q6FmVdIUyxiC/s1600/DSCF9672.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2lECnE1-clNOPpuvzf-RXXhInoLtxtn7R4NryCB4WPzDAoCuOKdtHjgJ3l0V18dOQHBdDXOS1JmMTeORaxY0hYd0ck2aWoSHwc4r8xD3-48cpx0CLv6oY1diWsuJu434Q6FmVdIUyxiC/s400/DSCF9672.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521681179043243906" /></a>more p.t.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99BUlmfWaOD6e_zEBeTfcte718G6wlv58RntyRmerhmCkTdGqBd7tkm-VFfYZioCAnXLK6IxFOgITGkg2-dYgWclvUnNnW-lXTWqz8CBdhZGTFLNiP3XR-P8ucq6cZzGhn9fYW-dWGCML/s1600/DSCF9660.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99BUlmfWaOD6e_zEBeTfcte718G6wlv58RntyRmerhmCkTdGqBd7tkm-VFfYZioCAnXLK6IxFOgITGkg2-dYgWclvUnNnW-lXTWqz8CBdhZGTFLNiP3XR-P8ucq6cZzGhn9fYW-dWGCML/s400/DSCF9660.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521681168925563842" /></a>the package loot.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP7WMCGvpN7uJSm-4iJmU-YXTwEEiqUbfC00r2kZXlgxf_b-dqyjG2pvWiWKU3r0se6ZV026SVdC3F3QiYYn7HPdhiGq37o5BRJ9jfCbsep2HHsxzNrGGUUkUcv52-l1nPKjvc2OQzQr0/s1600/DSCF9647.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP7WMCGvpN7uJSm-4iJmU-YXTwEEiqUbfC00r2kZXlgxf_b-dqyjG2pvWiWKU3r0se6ZV026SVdC3F3QiYYn7HPdhiGq37o5BRJ9jfCbsep2HHsxzNrGGUUkUcv52-l1nPKjvc2OQzQr0/s400/DSCF9647.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521681161812430034" /></a>home spa treatments<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXq9WzMBNQgwU6zl6DKQ20W9hH7COT4zRxlFLQX9hyzbQi8-5naYOjUslRkIOBuhYbZYw0o3GD-A5MTDsMqbQjZQ_mMtX2yfAFBXajr3JbGNRsAYVZmw23PEDX4o4eilydyOfKyRmMobN/s1600/DSCF9654.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXq9WzMBNQgwU6zl6DKQ20W9hH7COT4zRxlFLQX9hyzbQi8-5naYOjUslRkIOBuhYbZYw0o3GD-A5MTDsMqbQjZQ_mMtX2yfAFBXajr3JbGNRsAYVZmw23PEDX4o4eilydyOfKyRmMobN/s400/DSCF9654.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521679313944878386" /></a>notice the plate of goodies.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-V85M5iXE8dtkEFklx0VjTFQ8E9QfdsNK4PdD2HYjgxCvd2cHLRwwX6kO2daIV3CrWCVMaX-Mi9_J4KIaIptbngfi6jPVNtLOT4N_BJWGlBP5OLCqD4AzjCXpbr8XCgltpYqBdPBxF762/s1600/DSCF9651.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-V85M5iXE8dtkEFklx0VjTFQ8E9QfdsNK4PdD2HYjgxCvd2cHLRwwX6kO2daIV3CrWCVMaX-Mi9_J4KIaIptbngfi6jPVNtLOT4N_BJWGlBP5OLCqD4AzjCXpbr8XCgltpYqBdPBxF762/s400/DSCF9651.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521679304351300930" /></a>another view.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5VeI6HJbwLUkwBaFWjqeYM6TpiNO5n7qz8QTiXyeHHDu-WW-RHuD18eONSlPRAobZ6bBpMIjOibY4NMOAIzzIS7kFKo6HEBXNHFUImrTxe-HXSUYPcmV88ziZLvQVDUR1DZ_pE9bQ388/s1600/DSCF9644.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5VeI6HJbwLUkwBaFWjqeYM6TpiNO5n7qz8QTiXyeHHDu-WW-RHuD18eONSlPRAobZ6bBpMIjOibY4NMOAIzzIS7kFKo6HEBXNHFUImrTxe-HXSUYPcmV88ziZLvQVDUR1DZ_pE9bQ388/s400/DSCF9644.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521679299394546306" /></a>the wheelchair.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlWNmYaNCIbisntDeq0c5ReZPDBK-a5n3JoEhoxuDWCV6UbChveQbcpCWcbWYWj571DYhGq2Qia2P2OYR9QYO17XKfPfFOloHrD18ZaLbe_6HiBf1R8aYeNVNWgz8DLXWhjyCfWBTkTVD/s1600/DSCF9643.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlWNmYaNCIbisntDeq0c5ReZPDBK-a5n3JoEhoxuDWCV6UbChveQbcpCWcbWYWj571DYhGq2Qia2P2OYR9QYO17XKfPfFOloHrD18ZaLbe_6HiBf1R8aYeNVNWgz8DLXWhjyCfWBTkTVD/s400/DSCF9643.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521679293730152018" /></a>first time going upstairs.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLLuIPnl2Wt-TnjEpI8K9_x0cjblRP8V9kDQAsreCLW95b5csRtQv9ltfykwhLmSAatEy491hGYPvQfcVlMoJEXNGQG9AClC0BVVEiZ9AmUKdLjtfzYfRqag1NSc1Ui2OKf6fv-OhY_ob/s1600/DSCF9610.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLLuIPnl2Wt-TnjEpI8K9_x0cjblRP8V9kDQAsreCLW95b5csRtQv9ltfykwhLmSAatEy491hGYPvQfcVlMoJEXNGQG9AClC0BVVEiZ9AmUKdLjtfzYfRqag1NSc1Ui2OKf6fv-OhY_ob/s400/DSCF9610.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521679288870814610" /></a>first time dressed and sitting at the table.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQgc7xZpKSZ0vl8-yXAzajHi9r9DjEdQFrlqAjgNSJ9ZKXGvPFWG5-Bb-0ayoKeP2HezoIum-zIO8fAgI4Ug4_eLvIdqsOaS6AiCLjZAdqmpy61JpSoscpd-l1xPFrZGhcDH571a4hOLP/s1600/DSCF9555.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQgc7xZpKSZ0vl8-yXAzajHi9r9DjEdQFrlqAjgNSJ9ZKXGvPFWG5-Bb-0ayoKeP2HezoIum-zIO8fAgI4Ug4_eLvIdqsOaS6AiCLjZAdqmpy61JpSoscpd-l1xPFrZGhcDH571a4hOLP/s400/DSCF9555.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521677229523475298" /></a>future fashion disigners.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3QlNiEqE6_Ma6BT2lLc13iAqM3ttH9W9yVv4flctELPVLm5086416vJ1oUUHxSCNPG_oElrSe89tr5j6pXxgZJ8wW6Z7Rz5jKnxOL9-SShrcYMi8XqTHgYpXc1Pk5azUkAwCq7eScQeA/s1600/DSCF9554.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3QlNiEqE6_Ma6BT2lLc13iAqM3ttH9W9yVv4flctELPVLm5086416vJ1oUUHxSCNPG_oElrSe89tr5j6pXxgZJ8wW6Z7Rz5jKnxOL9-SShrcYMi8XqTHgYpXc1Pk5azUkAwCq7eScQeA/s400/DSCF9554.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521677225684216706" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28BU_YtPfjUF3bG2PmdOGwtcKL3mhBtM0Znw_YvjK7_si6eDN3FLz3ZjmjC79jlXLbH_t0nCnGQasncg9P-sHOlH9RrG5lId5WxSXbNsARdmv1-HxmLrJEY1uaFluWpd3dDWK_A6aDTbq/s1600/DSCF9550.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>i guess it's about time i stop procrastinating and just get this post over with. every time i sit down to do it, i give up because there's really too much to say, and no way to say it. does that make sense?<div>liesel had her big leg surgery almost 4 weeks ago. she has an external fixator on her leg now, and we're in the process of stretching/growing her leg to be about 5 centimeters longer so her legs will be more even in length. basically, during the surgery the dr. cut the femur bone so it could be separated apart and then attached 7 metal pins to various parts of the separated bones. the pins are attached to the fixator, which has these little rods on it that we turn 3 times a day to stretch the bones apart. so far she has "grown" almost 2 centimeters in the last 4 weeks. if all goes well, we'll have a couple more months of "growing" and then a few months of letting the bones grow back together again and get strong. the earliest the fixator will come of is march, but it could be as late as june or july. liesel does therapy at home 3 times a day and then we go to 2-3 dr's appointments/therapy sessions a week to make sure we're on track.</div><div>see, this is the problem with doing this post. that's all the technical stuff explained, but there's so much more going on..........i don't think there's any way to prepare for the kind of emotional roller coaster ride a surgery like this puts you on, and there's certainly no good way to explain it on paper. </div><div>i thought i was pretty good at seeing liesel come out of surgeries, but when i saw her lying there before she woke up and the reality of the fixator hit me, i burst in to tears and couldn't stop crying. and i don't ever cry in front of people. especially doctors. before i left the hospital to go home to the other kids (loren was staying with liesel--we took turns) i had to stay in the bathroom for 10 minutes before i looked presentable enough to walk through the halls. the first time liesel did therapy at the hospital it was absolutely awful-- she was dry heaving from pain, gwyneth was standing behind her rubbing her shoulders with tears just streaming down her face, i was crying (again.......in front of people). since we've come home from the hospital we've had lots of ups and downs. the main problem right now is that liesel's muscles/tendons/etc. can not keep up with how fast her leg is being stretched so they are really, really, really tight and sore. so therapy is hard. HARD! and it's just getting really old to be in pain all the time and to be in a wheelchair and to know it's going to be this way for a long time. i was not prepared for how hard it was going to be on me to watch liesel go through this. yesterday in church i totally lost it and cried and cried and couldn't stop, even when i was playing the organ on the closing song. then, i'd finally gotten ahold of myself and was heading to primary to do the singing time and somebody stopped me and asked how things were going. i literally burst in to tears (big sobbing ones) and couldn't talk for like 5 minutes. and then i was just like "i'm fine. just tired. everything's okay." because really, we are okay, it's just hard.</div><div>and, see, that's the problem with trying to write it down all down. because we really are fine. but it is also really too hard to do. it's both at the same time. all the time. see, now i'm crying again, but i'm also about to write a list of all the ways liesel's doing so well. and she IS doing so well. but it's still too hard.</div><div>SO, here are some of the thank-goodness-for things:</div><div>1. having twins. i have never, ever, ever, never in my whole life seen such a bond between two people as i've seen between liesel and gwyneth during this time. gwyneth is amazing. liesel is amazing. it's awe-inspiring. </div><div>2. children who read. we've gone through maybe a thousand books. that's probably an underestimate. </div><div>3. fashion-designing. hours and hours and hours spent designing fashions. </div><div>4. home spas. lots of painting fingernails, toenails.......face masks.........homemade lip gloss......</div><div>5. moms and sisters who will spend lots of time talking to liesel on the phone while she does therapy.</div><div>6. moms and sisters who will spend lots of time talking to me on the phone about liesel's therapy.</div><div>7. loren. best husband and dad ever. he is also turning in to an amazing cook. i'm trying to convince him it should be a permanent thing.</div><div>8. fathers-in-law who come to help out and sweep floors and load dishwashers and spend hours with pace in the pool.</div><div>9. grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins who send packages with all sorts of pain-distracting goodies/crafts/books/etc. we couldn't have survived without them!</div><div>so basically, we ARE doing really well, liesel's exceeding her dr's expectations, we are seeing the lord's tender mercies all around us, we have lots of good times every day............and it's still hard.</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-55342462350799620302010-08-15T13:37:00.017-04:002010-08-15T16:57:40.556-04:00florida.alabama.tennessee.arkansas.missouri.kansas.nebraska.wyoming.utah.nevada.california.arizona.new mexico.texas.louisiana.missisippi.alabama<div style="text-align: center;">and back to florida. we just got back a week ago from a month-and-a-week-long journey. and boy, does it feel good to be home!!!!!!!!!! except that we picked up a nasty virus in texas and liesel's had a fever/mouth sores/swollen gums/ear infection/nausea since we got home. but that's a story for another day. (we're still glad we visited you, joanne).</div><div><br /></div><div>in order to keep your sanity and my sanity intact, i will only do a very brief rundown of the trip. followed by approximately one million pictures. give or take a few. it depends on how my sanity's holding up at that point.</div><div><br /></div><div>day 1: drove 3 hours to kissimee, florida to give ourselves a bit of a head start on the trip. loren and i had a goal of working out every morning of the trip to utah, so we woke up early the next morning and went on a walk with pace, who rode his strider bike.</div><div><br /></div><div>day 2: drove to somewhere in white-trash alabama. swam in the hotel pool. decided we do not like driving in alabama.</div><div><br /></div><div>day 3: made it the "boy" allen home in arkansas (no relation to us--friends from california who had 3 boys when we had 4 girls--since then they've had a girl, and we've had a boy). had a fabulous dinner of homemade veggie burgers. did some crazy fireworks for the 4th of july. the dads loved the fireworks. the moms were nervous.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlOOgS7Akj7Kk6v3bUO2U2IB86ZSbReAtBr0fL6UFGXrchNCL209qQ9fqBK4zTrCsAfZMKoGO9y46lzTM3LweQFihvw6133BxOO_lE6-qkkCAGrMRty2FJK7L3gxB9HDnFVnUveUeHs_T/s400/Jul+4,+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505740521166939058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 4: drove to marian and chad's house in kansas. had a thoroughly good time recovering from driving. got to watch a terrific fireworks show from their driveway. people in kansas are serious about their fireworks! played in the pool, went barefoot walking (it's all the rage now, didn't you know?), and watched the cousins play together. stayed in kansas for days 5 and 6.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2XD8JiT9KIAvAoErY9ja4KtO4yaFBQ3d8eKsVwYLbkpRv6LVzPN9Rcc6c-UOgHjAx-mIJ8sc5rMQXl7IpA75n3fgsNww5WHwd_fZxdZSqzoAdpvFp-Iy_T10XsYhez_5OHRQJmNedYcw/s400/Jul+4,+20101.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505739516036305394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 7: drove to wyoming and stayed in a hotel.</div><div><br /></div><div>day 8: drove to utah. stopped at maggie's house on our way to orem. loren's mom, dad, and sister came up for a visit, too. </div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSvAdV98ZXer9udmSKLklwArhZbn_Afj-whM1rvRW0_xNN8lhKUY4qTzp7QR0e2yzhEZyOeMd0bKb8Leh_JJqcT5Gh2wU0IvHHmweKo17-9XUtfFbht32TiEt6jNnyiyqPi4aSFkAKdyJ/s400/Jul+4,+20102.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505738675284407426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>days 9-15: stayed in orem. had a lot of fun seeing both sides of the family. we snuck in a trip to 7 peaks water park. i also got to meet up with some roommates of mine from byu. my big sadness of the trip was having to cancel a visit with kari and rochelle (friends from virginia). the logistics of packing and organizing a week-long camping trip proved to be complicated, to say the least, and i ran out of play time.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-SF1v9zJ0bBCyXnbtCPifR4FDqj9qb2xDb4ZQufVH9MAm358DxiyXkP5cioL91zPgSLdVDHuYkjAndFcQ3PUgiQOVUsNke_3ToD2o71ZGkXst0wAhU5rHEyrYWjAOfhx2gnllNXMQ1PS/s400/Jul+4,+20105.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505728876960561186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 16: drove to tonopah, nevada. stayed there for a night on our way to the family reunion in yosemite.</div><div><br /></div><div>day 17: drove into yosemite national park! hooray! went on the best roller coaster road ever. also went through lots of tunnels (or igloos, if you're pace). got to the campsite and set up camp. LET THE PARTY BEGIN!!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>days 18-23: family reunion in yosemite. best fun ever. highlights: valley sightseeing, ponderosa grove, half dome hike (loren, liesel, gwyneth), swimming at the swinging bridge and hole-in-the-rock, policing the strider bike gang.....</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUu6RleX3ThTFDk9K7kW-ZWrw0m_kYBrsVz4txZ-dEVMWfsQb2k6uuQlOgvCXXozTvanrOxMY0t9BdDaukBIhEMkA3PpEf0gXSc-AMPGMsmH59wIb4uS2aPu1hE8hdBccP87Wdpb_M3xKl/s400/Jul+4,+20103.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505731549255366114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 24: drove to simi valley, california to karalee's house. had a happy reunion with liesel and gwyneth bffs kelsey and amelia. day 25: loren flew back to florida. the kids and i stayed there through day 26: went to church at our old ward, had a swim party with long-time friends........</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG12ThRGhiPRQIjLTJFbGHianZI1wz2l2E_ZXgHsMqWlkMIVTvNexv3lBSwaMIbOE_BrmNxMzR36Va-G09E7KZoPcVdyg13S2clujFcmxAzrWlBzyTgdwKFsV5qJ1Rwu2rxyuaV8Q3NCsw/s400/Jul+4,+20104.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505729971951804146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 27: drove to liza's house in arizona. played in the pool and the sun for 3 days. i could live in arizona, for sure. pace perfected his swimming techniques.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswx0PKF1XTvqYGxOk0lxfwE5fmOJFjwmLaTsGOPgXhJKBNyaP-pmBcTXbSwgUGok86Fvf8wEm9wa7CoERbxCTtduonHmYDV8jqXLM5XeOv5LBDdXuiRT3OsUve2VW1ygeghAM-Ej1jsrY/s400/Jul+28,+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727833345863634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 30: drove to poppy's house in new mexico. this was like a california reunion trip for me! went to a fabulous park and had a great time catching up with each other!</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VKtkp54ZGhytlS8SNfWecoHeQukVtNmxsRanrRv9rTvIkvj4g6A2-Gose_Y2Uex56qqWlvp_fOF3tPeEhZw6wG17ITLNULHCvKC6DuNbmNmujBllU-b6bCwRNhuJVfkEvu3DkrQ3yrwq/s400/Jul+28,+20101.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505726705004081906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 32: drove to joanne's house in texas. swam and played, swam and played, swam and played for the next 3 days. cousins are the best.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFUJ58x9L0lH1RwmTigJsd63jXjrT3AcQH9rx2pEdJSoMRE1DcjQqldkC8_54mYD6j7v0eileQaJgBnO4BqRH9BPpSdeCMWAS0q2RJ6fpBkEv8v7BxYSs7Q1aQiMtYj1JPX5gmQ3LNHOC/s400/Aug+2,+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505742343481636386" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></span><div>day 36: drove to louisiana for the night. swam in hotel pool. wished loren was there.</div><div><br /></div><div>day 37: scrapped original plan of taking 3 days to get home from texas, and decided to drive all the way home. MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>end of trip.</div><div><br /></div><div>random things i noticed on this trip: 4 wild pigs running along the side of the freeway (florida), a man doing pushups by his car on the side of the freeway (california), a town named "bangs" in texas, a huge mongo snake on the freeway (HUGE, seriously--like national geographic worthy) (louisiana), the ugliest swamp ever (louisiana), LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF EPIC RAINSTORMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (every state we drove in after california--it made for some very tense driving and lots of praying)</div><div><br /></div><div>other side note: florida definitely has the craziest drivers of all the states we drove through. it also has the most highway patrol cars. hmmmmmmmmm. something's not right here.</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-71236019379498074452010-06-27T13:09:00.000-04:002010-06-27T13:51:01.800-04:00oh, and it's a boy<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div>so, i realize i've been neglecting to share many important things on this blog. such as the sex of the new baby. IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!! (in case you missed the giveaway title of this post.) we are very excited about it. i just forgot to tell everyone, because after i found out i forgot that i didn't just use my telepathy to instantly beam this information around the world, and then it became old news to me, and life just moved on without me telling anyone. so, consider yourselves told. better late than never. <div><br /></div><div>also, pace's birthday has come and gone without any mention whatsoever. he did have a birthday, and he did turn 3, and we do love him. here are some shots of him getting his new strider bike (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you are looking for a bike for your 2-5 year old). pace can zoom around like crazy on this thing. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK33vXvZFUnDPJ6bjHQp-AzTQC6o22KFZosxDzIyP3HmUHd9bDDCF4eBYSd_w71qLCbl2SuNCU63NAL7t-FiaP3wIeIXwIVCVLnO4Q3jEa2K4riiEW-B7aCkEaE4E0XULRnVJdXQo-6vJ5/s1600/May+19,+2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK33vXvZFUnDPJ6bjHQp-AzTQC6o22KFZosxDzIyP3HmUHd9bDDCF4eBYSd_w71qLCbl2SuNCU63NAL7t-FiaP3wIeIXwIVCVLnO4Q3jEa2K4riiEW-B7aCkEaE4E0XULRnVJdXQo-6vJ5/s400/May+19,+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487505765557384130" /></a>he requested chocolate pie for his birthday. it's what i had on my birthday, and i guess he thought it was pretty great. he is not a big fan of cake. i love watching kids open their presents.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8hbvNYC3pTGriafDYYTm3WWrPlRcPubdAE7Ey1w51w1OEta0IrlDzVFSEtn02hiZTRoPxQb4Zt6eaQEf-sj8lH3ygXqyVrk29UG206zLr1BK6h1WWb3KKbYx-Xu05EKgsMuvZE_NDMvI/s1600/May+24,+2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8hbvNYC3pTGriafDYYTm3WWrPlRcPubdAE7Ey1w51w1OEta0IrlDzVFSEtn02hiZTRoPxQb4Zt6eaQEf-sj8lH3ygXqyVrk29UG206zLr1BK6h1WWb3KKbYx-Xu05EKgsMuvZE_NDMvI/s400/May+24,+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487505757344623778" /></a>and here are some pictures of a trip the kids and i went on with another family. we headed to the beaches a few hours north of here to explore them before <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">the oil spill ruins them. i had to type it small because i'm hoping it won't really happen and i didn't want to jinx it by writing it big.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRCpdq9wHNzye4yAOJWbkC1DxxIIDOOJ3TsQ9HcERn8afEK7FQ_xvRcSgUxzLPNcuMwJYA9RSrENNx0aqtRR35lL4yXPkm4eBmeIOA3SsbywpKrSog6ldgV9UXKxPAl4iYTnLynXfiz73/s1600/Jun+15,+2010.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRCpdq9wHNzye4yAOJWbkC1DxxIIDOOJ3TsQ9HcERn8afEK7FQ_xvRcSgUxzLPNcuMwJYA9RSrENNx0aqtRR35lL4yXPkm4eBmeIOA3SsbywpKrSog6ldgV9UXKxPAl4iYTnLynXfiz73/s400/Jun+15,+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487505779091355314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>we went to 3 different beaches while we were there--all totally different from each other, and different from the beaches down here. we looked for fossilized shark teeth at one (and tried not to think about non-fossilized shark teeth finding us instead. the water was not as clear as we are used to and there were largish fish swimming around our feet, so it was harder than you might think to keep our imaginations in check. i might have even screamed a few times myself.) our hotel was right on a beach, and also had a swimming pool, which was heavenly, even though it was so warm it was borderline hot tub temperature. to give you an idea of the water temperatures there, even the ocean was 87 degrees. which is VERY WARM for water. we also went to a white-sand beach. heaven. the kids found some really fun shells and we had a great time. </div><div><br /></div><div>now we are busy (BUSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) getting ready to go on a 6-week long vacation that will take us (driving--ack!) all the way across the country to california (yosemite) and back. we leave this thursday. wish us luck! and if any of you are going to be in utah july 8th through the 15th let me know and maybe we can get together!</div></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-12512573480026135482010-06-08T15:00:00.000-04:002010-06-08T18:36:54.740-04:00swim safety lesson<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy6gnwzC3-iv9q3s71V9yDXIv1nLZmxE59C-e0_Jbv4gVFKLup-CkO29VNEtWJNqI3EMPqRFl5EUKL7QL4v' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div>i've been getting nervous about living by all this water here in south florida so i've been doing "swim lessons" with pace every day in our pool. he's been doing really well (more videos of that to come later) and LOVES swimming. last night we decided to have a family lesson on pool safety. the main goal of the lesson was to help pace know what to do if he accidently fell in to a pool. he does really well swimming around with me in the water, but i was worried he'd panic if he fell in with his clothes on and everything without me there. i had all the other kids get dressed in real clothes and shoes and pretend to fall in the pool, then turn around and grab the side and go back to the steps. when it was pace's turn to "fall in" i got him dressed in clothes and a diaper and flip flops and helped him fall in to the pool. he was very pleased that he remembered everything he was supposed to do. he watched this video of it about 100 times today. the next water-safety step is getting him to be able to go from swimming on his stomach to floating on his back--he can almost do it, but it needs a little fine-tuning. anyway, that was a long explanation for a short video, but i promised pace i would put it on the blog and write all about it. he's standing right by me waiting for me to finish so he can watch the video again. </div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-83627443499790482442010-05-23T19:34:00.001-04:002010-06-02T19:18:16.645-04:00mother's day weekend<div>i am lucky enough to move to a different state every couple of years. which also means i'm lucky enough to meet great friends in all the different states! </div><div>this year i got to celebrate mother's day weekend by going to virginia for a girls' get-a-way at betsy's cabin. i also got to spend one night each at kari's house (she's the best hostess ever!!! even though she denies it) and ellie's house (also the best hostess, plus she taught me how to make duct tape flower hair accessories, which scored me lots of points when i came home and taught liesel and gwyneth how to make them). hooray for good friends and good times. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>this is where i spent most of my time. i think my true inner-most self would sit in a chair and talk with friends and eat all day every day if she could.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU-hKxjN2DlJrqYpLJMuyMpbwpAeKjKRp7Y9CT3uabbL9KzV6cBnofsB_pP2o4sVkMlYHnV2HUrJa6lEivph3h_2B7N4hWrvQUQTCrpHXvGBnZJpPOOdYJ_mn9T5jakhdN_BPVB0gG34S/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU-hKxjN2DlJrqYpLJMuyMpbwpAeKjKRp7Y9CT3uabbL9KzV6cBnofsB_pP2o4sVkMlYHnV2HUrJa6lEivph3h_2B7N4hWrvQUQTCrpHXvGBnZJpPOOdYJ_mn9T5jakhdN_BPVB0gG34S/s400/IMG_1245.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614111135804290" /></a>this is just a sampling of the great food we had. none of it was prepared by me (i was truly lazy the entire trip, i tell you), which made it taste even better!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaNd2d9fWlGkhXQgBYKLkbnonOpPpuzK_W-NUn5MISHd7eKLdwVe4eJTVJob13x-My9zMn6LHzWRV_MUg4atP2-p9yrZFuxinfs5LKeJXgcuibi-V5RdLLMQXudY4DEcsHufatWn5-EAj/s1600/IMG_1247.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaNd2d9fWlGkhXQgBYKLkbnonOpPpuzK_W-NUn5MISHd7eKLdwVe4eJTVJob13x-My9zMn6LHzWRV_MUg4atP2-p9yrZFuxinfs5LKeJXgcuibi-V5RdLLMQXudY4DEcsHufatWn5-EAj/s400/IMG_1247.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614105110981266" /></a>this is the gang. some of my best friends ever. i will love them forever. sappy, but true!<div>this picture is taken right before (i think?) a hilarious game of "celebrity", in which i confirmed that i chose wisely to become a stay-at-home mom and not an actress. you girls can thank me later for not including any of the pictures taken during that game in this post. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBue8JiaX8x4L5erbhjINE5Pwk6U0Oh2g_Z4NaBFht95-TX0t9CoGF5ksWz1tOizY8cvg8urW_vUkdvG84RO82OLsd-MqWe2xgVmN1IPVRAm9-WGvfDYh1Ok0v2xFLc_hcFvtbeoe0Np8A/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBue8JiaX8x4L5erbhjINE5Pwk6U0Oh2g_Z4NaBFht95-TX0t9CoGF5ksWz1tOizY8cvg8urW_vUkdvG84RO82OLsd-MqWe2xgVmN1IPVRAm9-WGvfDYh1Ok0v2xFLc_hcFvtbeoe0Np8A/s400/IMG_1251.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614095950823234" /></a>none of these feet are actually mine, but i really like feet pictures for some reason. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55e5cEp3Y20Rv78zJE6JFjrvGf_ezL5JwYkeXakw0N0FLWjOzTziBdpZQ27pdFmtID1bK0Ju5KMzYcgCwu2MBn6Hwp62CFiHEtlsoDL-0NV85yzRCHvBNGBCBLbnkEiSDu6TWn4xHfAu3/s1600/IMG_1272.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55e5cEp3Y20Rv78zJE6JFjrvGf_ezL5JwYkeXakw0N0FLWjOzTziBdpZQ27pdFmtID1bK0Ju5KMzYcgCwu2MBn6Hwp62CFiHEtlsoDL-0NV85yzRCHvBNGBCBLbnkEiSDu6TWn4xHfAu3/s400/IMG_1272.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614091408466930" /></a>some people (juliette) talked some of us in to doing some yoga. what could be more perfect than doing yoga on the deck of a mountain cabin? i guess nothing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEVXcZNQd2E5MsNI6GQTEGSUnYQbOtIlQZ0oVN7KIrZ_POEifAfB-wwVcTsxRslrQG-IFsyPJc5wH3Yr_U2jERFZqK5UU7XYtLfKqAGQgJXh-_QxM70WwDzQdQMgjP91MnfXgfH2c62Mh/s1600/IMG_1271.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEVXcZNQd2E5MsNI6GQTEGSUnYQbOtIlQZ0oVN7KIrZ_POEifAfB-wwVcTsxRslrQG-IFsyPJc5wH3Yr_U2jERFZqK5UU7XYtLfKqAGQgJXh-_QxM70WwDzQdQMgjP91MnfXgfH2c62Mh/s400/IMG_1271.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474614083771885362" /></a>what a great weekend! i came home ready to be a mom and a wife again. i am lucky to have such great and inspiring friends. i know, two sappy moments in one post. yikes.</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-65501646289106355782010-05-15T20:17:00.000-04:002010-05-15T20:31:39.549-04:00family scripture study and some tangents<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaeiXHSQmIVt5nUJlo9IW_40HUILJn1ODGtOClw5odH-J9n4quyX8bIvoKDbJPkeuV-qcPnCoDUfV468gL7nGMSrxG6NmbDlAdeQvGuJgC-UKEmd0hikobwb44StHnTtEFz3lohCwshaT/s1600/DSCF8637.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaeiXHSQmIVt5nUJlo9IW_40HUILJn1ODGtOClw5odH-J9n4quyX8bIvoKDbJPkeuV-qcPnCoDUfV468gL7nGMSrxG6NmbDlAdeQvGuJgC-UKEmd0hikobwb44StHnTtEFz3lohCwshaT/s400/DSCF8637.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471658201762161122" /></a><br />last night we were reading about the olive branches being grafted. this somehow segwayed into a discussion of arms being grafted back onto bodies if they'd been cut off. which prompted me to remember that my mom had once gotten a skin graft when the tip of her finger had been snipped off by a door. which prompted liesel to suddenly remember that <i>she'd</i> gotten a skin graft on <i>her</i> finger once (a fact i had totally forgotten). i have no idea how liesel remembered this or even knew this in the first place, since i don't ever remember discussing it with her. me saying so prompted a whole other discussion on things we could or could not remember. we finally finished reading the chapter. during all of this, pace was jumping around on the couch with some shorts on his head. which prompted loren to say, when he was helping pace say the family prayer, that we were "thankful for the clothes on our backs and on our heads". which sent all the girls (including me) into fits of (reverent) giggles. please tell me the kids are getting <i>something</i> out of family scripture study.<div><br /></div><div>p.s. i have no idea how to spell "segway" and spell check was no help whatsoever. anybody know how to spell it?</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-11027520562910570182010-05-15T20:06:00.000-04:002010-05-15T20:17:12.845-04:00tea party--boy style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6G_CZJvF1YS19M482V1NnRRVNozeWXP1vWH5FfKV1BIu7e8TZ841Ki-dSjfpp63ZHNSEZZMgRZsSgr0AZf2hOZFIqrzKiYL6C8zxHw2abUGyyOPesCRPO5TQy9HXC9_KCFZAyzodBbsTJ/s1600/DSCF8632.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6G_CZJvF1YS19M482V1NnRRVNozeWXP1vWH5FfKV1BIu7e8TZ841Ki-dSjfpp63ZHNSEZZMgRZsSgr0AZf2hOZFIqrzKiYL6C8zxHw2abUGyyOPesCRPO5TQy9HXC9_KCFZAyzodBbsTJ/s400/DSCF8632.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471653508891792258" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div>the other day i came in to the kitchen and found pace all set up in his booster with a little cup and spoon in front of him. he told me he was having a party with indiana jones. that's when i noticed the other cup set up across the table from him. that's where indiana jones was sitting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x2E2KVUXDW6dJtmBv5wK1nUUoGRCH5WdS3NJie-30BKcL703Ep4FHyxf5Oyj9Nxep5JDXj0RwNBJaeDy3CAMffFemvDaVAsMhv4mGriNluZX8-W82OIoHLOikjGMpJVWnRTE2oGQYtUZ/s1600/DSCF8630.JPG"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x2E2KVUXDW6dJtmBv5wK1nUUoGRCH5WdS3NJie-30BKcL703Ep4FHyxf5Oyj9Nxep5JDXj0RwNBJaeDy3CAMffFemvDaVAsMhv4mGriNluZX8-W82OIoHLOikjGMpJVWnRTE2oGQYtUZ/s1600/DSCF8630.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><br /><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x2E2KVUXDW6dJtmBv5wK1nUUoGRCH5WdS3NJie-30BKcL703Ep4FHyxf5Oyj9Nxep5JDXj0RwNBJaeDy3CAMffFemvDaVAsMhv4mGriNluZX8-W82OIoHLOikjGMpJVWnRTE2oGQYtUZ/s400/DSCF8630.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471653496592896386" /></a><br /></div><div>pace asked me if i would buckle indiana in to his booster. i obliged. i asked pace if he was having a tea party. he said "no, a shake party." i guess the water in the cups was really shakes. i asked pace if i could take a picture of his party. he said "yes" and made sure i got a picture of indiana jones.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDaiZCSlbBnVH0wvSicwNRqWkK-5e1NjdSyZ8bt17PihyphenhyphenkreQaXQFjEWldtx48WvAY-QBw1rnNULbwCmhYu4GDsP_N5XTnhiQT1rRIKsRk8ZEq1tYYhPvO9NhTqe8UyLHEtfHyzJxm5Qt/s1600/DSCF8631.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDaiZCSlbBnVH0wvSicwNRqWkK-5e1NjdSyZ8bt17PihyphenhyphenkreQaXQFjEWldtx48WvAY-QBw1rnNULbwCmhYu4GDsP_N5XTnhiQT1rRIKsRk8ZEq1tYYhPvO9NhTqe8UyLHEtfHyzJxm5Qt/s400/DSCF8631.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471653505970611266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-79740600748186656202010-05-10T08:52:00.000-04:002010-06-21T13:53:34.242-04:00real life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFbLAHyY7OStCYYT3V1ZzCBCpztZCL9VlWzHBDkiS1Jzb4F-V9E3HOG78hUGfh41F_bqd8uaw7L2xZivUITJwGvy3HtFCDvJMUTmSLA1SndpvUvnOpSEHkjEce8c3cGY5Sic7MiRVO7IT/s1600/DSCF8622.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFbLAHyY7OStCYYT3V1ZzCBCpztZCL9VlWzHBDkiS1Jzb4F-V9E3HOG78hUGfh41F_bqd8uaw7L2xZivUITJwGvy3HtFCDvJMUTmSLA1SndpvUvnOpSEHkjEce8c3cGY5Sic7MiRVO7IT/s400/DSCF8622.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469630582872777218" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>i'm easing back in to my real life (after spending THE BEST WEEKEND EVER in virginia with friends--pictures and details to come later, since the picture of the snakeskin above is the only one i took before my camera batteries died) by spending the morning blogging. i say the day after mother's day is still sort of like mother's day, and should be spent doing what i want to do. i don't want to shock my system by working too hard after such a leisurely weekend.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_555mcKDaYJZ0RzwNGA0RdEL-CntAavLOVEYrH_U-LeSGGkDehqnr821-oYlwWeJq-zHGdGVWgVAiQvc5s_6wp7TYBv1LHJ_Y-J3nBST_ylrctvIWj9KKQE2jPXWyArbcxQmswRBE1maB/s1600/DSCF8618.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_555mcKDaYJZ0RzwNGA0RdEL-CntAavLOVEYrH_U-LeSGGkDehqnr821-oYlwWeJq-zHGdGVWgVAiQvc5s_6wp7TYBv1LHJ_Y-J3nBST_ylrctvIWj9KKQE2jPXWyArbcxQmswRBE1maB/s400/DSCF8618.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469628902788815682" /></a>now that the pool water temperature is approaching that of bath water, i will finally get in. pace and i have been having a great time doing "swim lessons" every day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYgLWT6qNZXByBUgf4Kd4oFtCvAbQrYM4eQzmdRZEGH8yA9-uw4w4sVrL21Hh9KIvAsVyoJC3twcyrqzdU-Iyv0rf-uxjbRVvnIsnmmlAX8CpXF3oKt5nOFdbXlNY_FXARyHZJYkIUvaz/s1600/DSCF8609.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYgLWT6qNZXByBUgf4Kd4oFtCvAbQrYM4eQzmdRZEGH8yA9-uw4w4sVrL21Hh9KIvAsVyoJC3twcyrqzdU-Iyv0rf-uxjbRVvnIsnmmlAX8CpXF3oKt5nOFdbXlNY_FXARyHZJYkIUvaz/s400/DSCF8609.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469628884162874946" /></a>loren plays games with the kids on sundays. and this was not even a quality i knew he had when i married him! it's so fun to discover surprise good qualities in your husband. (he has a lot of other non-surprise good qualities, too).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvA0i2DzTvrwNNw0FjrIZ_sKLtJOmc1CMKjdpsA_zeyFssmGU95JSwIxrtwsWQutBz6ys9wklkq0zMnXrvKerkbzfeHgY5-jp4RVKjdu90zBwD1M4RGTCyIYpSolMKYZyjJiez75B6w8I/s1600/DSCF8581.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvA0i2DzTvrwNNw0FjrIZ_sKLtJOmc1CMKjdpsA_zeyFssmGU95JSwIxrtwsWQutBz6ys9wklkq0zMnXrvKerkbzfeHgY5-jp4RVKjdu90zBwD1M4RGTCyIYpSolMKYZyjJiez75B6w8I/s400/DSCF8581.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469628860765529922" /></a>we went camping a week ago. the only pictures i got were of the kids eating s'mores. at least i captured the most important moments, right?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaZaruYwtq0djjcKJHTKhllOF99F1RpqMKelLKJWFJVOjCCqaKyko9R2VOBLOGDztkz8EEytwgWKE_W_Od_x5-n_2UNkkbp7fNTBQwBy3Jwl4VfYPoRq_adkF2K6LbOmAx3QGvdz9VoO9/s1600/DSCF8577.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaZaruYwtq0djjcKJHTKhllOF99F1RpqMKelLKJWFJVOjCCqaKyko9R2VOBLOGDztkz8EEytwgWKE_W_Od_x5-n_2UNkkbp7fNTBQwBy3Jwl4VfYPoRq_adkF2K6LbOmAx3QGvdz9VoO9/s400/DSCF8577.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469628855577323026" /></a>this is as far as we've gotten with potty training. hmmm.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zmGsz_0lCLQwsoqIhv0usNpyaQthcS8Kmp_LNprRawdEswtoie8L-BwZlFmAqYn-1I6e72GneoymBd3FP1FgKKFgyI3zswIq_PZz-s-WNRTS7gr5uLFyOtV0SRFuulJdjLJQWnpIk-iV/s1600/DSCF8576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zmGsz_0lCLQwsoqIhv0usNpyaQthcS8Kmp_LNprRawdEswtoie8L-BwZlFmAqYn-1I6e72GneoymBd3FP1FgKKFgyI3zswIq_PZz-s-WNRTS7gr5uLFyOtV0SRFuulJdjLJQWnpIk-iV/s400/DSCF8576.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469628839608985986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7psNm6SAftOB2aBMFU9FcVn1AVGpkOxeoOfu61ZV0u0g-EWfdgl2obnGndcK5H-vXJR2MJq3OIf97wqk6RJbj2pocNjOItLXR5LdzmsA8heetmtiMaUg6ejBj61nyHKvAU2S8AGRosoM1/s1600/DSCF8561.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7psNm6SAftOB2aBMFU9FcVn1AVGpkOxeoOfu61ZV0u0g-EWfdgl2obnGndcK5H-vXJR2MJq3OIf97wqk6RJbj2pocNjOItLXR5LdzmsA8heetmtiMaUg6ejBj61nyHKvAU2S8AGRosoM1/s400/DSCF8561.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469625955353913186" /></a>gwyneth broke her arm a couple of weeks ago and has been waiting patiently for me to blog about it, so here it is. she broke it doing the high jump on field day at school. very exciting for all of us. her cast is waterproof (worth the extra money) so she's still been doing swim team and everything else. she gets it off this wednesday. woohoo!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1jdBP-9zTu_N10s3i0SyPGiPkDwxXZ-AOr6rF6IPuJ_UaVnzSpk3mhiqm8hoXweHQ3A6BeX7zwlFp5EdHHolgjkH-U4s48WXhfE3v2ZyloNjfM62sbmMNZWks_z3FH2PR1iI1OEzaL6b/s1600/DSCF8628.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1jdBP-9zTu_N10s3i0SyPGiPkDwxXZ-AOr6rF6IPuJ_UaVnzSpk3mhiqm8hoXweHQ3A6BeX7zwlFp5EdHHolgjkH-U4s48WXhfE3v2ZyloNjfM62sbmMNZWks_z3FH2PR1iI1OEzaL6b/s400/DSCF8628.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469625947410999298" /></a>i walked in from my trip yesterday to a whole table covered in flowers. this is just a small sampling. happy mother's day!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiML0gv7cyrGp1Wky9uPaEwQX2gBZ-E_z3BF-qvPLbDhPwh67o6zGTx54g85X0ir0msoTLEL4hF-xN5-0mk0oqv_W_HK39sjDH6k6iwjaS9wsBmbbNzOqdlO2_lTIhGzMfyIFQVuYs5-Lfb/s1600/DSCF8627.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiML0gv7cyrGp1Wky9uPaEwQX2gBZ-E_z3BF-qvPLbDhPwh67o6zGTx54g85X0ir0msoTLEL4hF-xN5-0mk0oqv_W_HK39sjDH6k6iwjaS9wsBmbbNzOqdlO2_lTIhGzMfyIFQVuYs5-Lfb/s400/DSCF8627.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469625922178761154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9u1rZ42P3z80poPDlrDxX-muEG63-f12jyxLZg-LNaLMb7CRW2WU7yp9-ndK84xVsaz9CHxCmteUiuZTDlNKXBXJNOaCDI8m0dpr4SGzEv2MmO_zh7vRK7QxUumhM5WfbxRhAbHv0ESX/s1600/DSCF8626.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9u1rZ42P3z80poPDlrDxX-muEG63-f12jyxLZg-LNaLMb7CRW2WU7yp9-ndK84xVsaz9CHxCmteUiuZTDlNKXBXJNOaCDI8m0dpr4SGzEv2MmO_zh7vRK7QxUumhM5WfbxRhAbHv0ESX/s400/DSCF8626.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469625919193776338" /></a>i knew pace was being suspiciously quiet while i was blogging just now. i went to check on him and found him playing with cars in the wheat bucket. i left him playing happily and came back to finish blogging. sometimes the rules are allowed to be broken. i'm pretty sure cleaning up some spilled wheat will be worth the alone time on the computer!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Go_lBBzjnqM50IXvrFLhC4S-L4LaU7xnVj-yAVMbrZHtcBeJj3ZBHJ9ApBfv9e5cwxo6Kg7PwmYjkNPHwgozUdvPXnGJicf2KG8gcisWe_8vFSCOraXzJ6l91AlCScIR-6eZgqWUMMES/s1600/DSCF8625.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Go_lBBzjnqM50IXvrFLhC4S-L4LaU7xnVj-yAVMbrZHtcBeJj3ZBHJ9ApBfv9e5cwxo6Kg7PwmYjkNPHwgozUdvPXnGJicf2KG8gcisWe_8vFSCOraXzJ6l91AlCScIR-6eZgqWUMMES/s400/DSCF8625.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469625911132180082" /></a>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735308646623974556.post-14445514512223080092010-04-21T09:45:00.000-04:002010-04-21T10:00:04.901-04:00what da heck?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3sgLFGjHqwM-qRmRG5FlBJUX9IyEZFJgeLLAk2E17OHL3hTx1uNUdTO4DjrfZDKqgYwmzHOhqEzpzjgqDThalty2NDhLah67cHmjdW0XqIElWfHRtTDiZK7TkfFWIbyfpwVv_DJdlnlr/s1600/DSCF8514.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3sgLFGjHqwM-qRmRG5FlBJUX9IyEZFJgeLLAk2E17OHL3hTx1uNUdTO4DjrfZDKqgYwmzHOhqEzpzjgqDThalty2NDhLah67cHmjdW0XqIElWfHRtTDiZK7TkfFWIbyfpwVv_DJdlnlr/s400/DSCF8514.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462590089510576802" /></a><br />pace and i are playing a great game. i'm in the office on the computer. looking at blogs, emails, etc. pace is in the family room playing hide and seek with himself, and me. this is how we play. he hides under a cushion on the couch and calls out "where is me?". then i make a wild guess (while still sitting at the computer) as to where he might be (the pool, on the fridge, at school, to name a few). then pace says "i right here!!!" (surprise). then i say "what da heck?". if i take too long to say my part he prompts me with my lines. we've been playing for about 15 minutes. it's the best game ever. we're both happy. i think we'll play it every day.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10935663247229920088noreply@blogger.com9