New Rule

 

I never thought I'd have to say, "Lydia, no more flushing your head in the toilet!"

 Parenting is full of surprises

Triceratops Party

(Lydia sure knows how to take the edge off finals week!)

There's a nailed panel in Lydia's room that we assume leads to some of the bathroom plumbing, but Lydie Bug has informed me that's it's actually a Dinosaur Door and a triceratops sleeps there (pronounced Cera-TOPS with a little tongue and spit on the the T).

Lydie Knocking on the Dinosaur Door

Furthermore, it turns out that this 'ceratops has a birthday today. Under Lydia's direction, we made a cake that included Mapeline, waffle mix, tomato sauce, lotion, and honey (but don't worry besides a few crackers that made it in there, no actual ingredients were poured into our pretend cake).

Now that the cake is "baking" Lydia is figuring out how to turn her "purses" into party hats.

Don't you wish you were the triceratops sleeping behind the Dinosaur Door at our house?

I'm a Stay-At-Home Referee

There's a lot of love at our house.

We love hugs

 And kisses 

And cuddles.

 But sometimes the line between cuddles and clobbers becomes blurred

And soon an all-out wrestling match ensues.

 

After all, what better way is there to say "I love you" than a little baby wrestling:

 

Vicky Day

Thirteen years ago, my sister Vicky was called home right before Christmas. Being a part of her life was one of the greatest gifts I could have asked for.

Since her passing, I've learned that grieving isn't something that you go through once for someone. Grief needs to be revisited from time to time. Sometimes grief can even catch you off guard when you hear or see something that reminds you of your lost loved one.

In October 2012, Elder Bowen put words to what I had already felt, "Sometimes people will ask, 'How long did it take you to get over it?' The truth is, you will never completely get over it until you are together once again with your departed loved ones. [We] will never have a fulness of joy until we are reunited in the morning of the First Resurrection."

Sometimes when Vicky is on my mind (whether peacefully or grievously), I write her letters, poems, or stories. Sometimes I incorporate her memory into school projects. Sometimes I tell my husband and children stories about her. When I do this, I find more lessons from her life. I grow more and realize her gifts to me and my family are endless.

This is a picture that always brings a smile to my face. Vicky and I decided to switch our outfits (and you can hardly tell; she's so small); it just shows the kind of fun-loving person she was. Love you Vicky. Save me a spot up there.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts. Merry Christmas.

#Sharethegift

My Goofs

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Yesterday was the birthday of Link and Lydie's Grandma Doll. We decided there was no reason why we couldn't celebrate Grandma's birthday even if we weren't with her on her big day.

 And how can you celebrate without cake?

  

Lydie Bug helped me make a heart-shaped cake in honor of Grandma which nicely doubled (or tripled, rather) as my midterm exam comfort food and our family night treat for later. When Brad got home, we had our family night lesson and discussed Grandma and Grandpa's service in the Medford Temple and how it helps families be together forever. 

We're very thankful to have so many good examples, like Grandma, in our lives.

 

Last, we called Grandma and ate! (Brad said our parents should have birthdays more often.)

New Houses

Our family recently moved, and of course, while any moving situation is difficult and exhausting (even our seven block exodus), having two kids under two complicates it somewhat. The time and labor intensive process of packing up all your belongs, performing an extra deep cleaning you won't be around to enjoy, and reorganizing everything at a new place, becomes even more stressful. Luckily, Brad and I engaged three survival strategies during our move:

1. Recruit Myrna. Even though my mom stayed with us only a few weeks earlier for Lincoln's birth (before we received the news that we had to move), she traveled back down to help us pack, move, clean, unpack, and watch kids. Her help was immeasurable. I don't know what we would have done without her; she preserved my emotional health in a very real way. Love you Mom!
2. Enlist family for manual labor. The day of the actual move my sister Lisa and her family drove an hour and a half to help out and lend their truck; how great are they? Also my brother Gus and his family came to help even though they were already moving my niece. Gus showed up about 20 minutes before Lisa, and he moved so much in the first load, I was worried there wasn't going to be anything left for the others! (Don't worry though, they still had plenty to do.) They did everything so quickly when it would have taken us hours and hours.
3. Forget about it all for minute. Right before moving day we took advantage of our old neighbors TV box and just played! Brad was the architect and Lydia was the tenant. As the pictures and movie show, it was a success: