Christmas present

Broke it in with a batch of brown rice. Pretty cool!

White elephant

We are ready for the annual family gift exchange.

Old gym

Miracle happened this week. I went to the gym for the first time in over a year. And this is what i found. I cried. The memories! All gone! It was like an old friend had died and i missed the funeral. Sadly, i had been the first to leave so i shouldn't have been so heart broken. I had neglected the relationship. I couldn't expect it to wait around forever for me. The next morning i found myself awake at 4:45. So i got up. I got dressed. And i went to brickyard. I saw a handful of the old gang. Not like they know or care about me, but their faces were warm and made me feel at home. They are the ones who never missed. I doubt i will ever see some of my favorites, though, like the old man with the cane and the old woman who looked like mrs. claus. Guess i can't have everything the same. I am secretly happy that they have massage tables, though. Water pressure massage. Loved it. And my 60 bucks a year qualifies me to use them for free. I am VIP, unlike the 10 a month people. Here is hoping i make it back again before another year goes by.

Ready for bed

They are in each other's pajamas. I blame Bret, and he blames me. She used to wear the blue ones when  Ward was smaller and she was low on ones that fit. Now they fit him and she has more options. Bret is used to seeing them on her, though, so when he went to get her ready for bed he just grabbed them off the desk, making it so my only option for Ward were her owl pajamas.

Slide

It looks like he is going down, but that is just the wind. He climbed up the bottom end and played while the wind blew his downy hair.

Shoes

This week she scooted around the kitchen with bowls as shoes. Lately, when i ask her to smile for a picture, she closes her eyes.

Big sister

As my brothers can attest, there is nothing like having a big sister to play with your hair. Lucky boy.

Ocra

She was eating a pineapple smoothie and rejected the last few bits. Then she inhaled a bowl full of ocra. Last week she opted for ocra instead of a banana.

LDS Conference

Ward is the only one watching.

Dentist

She had her first exam. She screamed as needed. He gave her a toy as a prize. I gave her a bottle. She enjoyed exploring the waiting room best. Now to get her to smile for the camera!

Dust

At first i couldn't figure out what she was staring at and pointing to and then clapping about. I finally realized she could see the dust particles in the air.

Go girl

Check out my baby! We went to Jordan Park for a ward BBQ and all the kids played on the equipment. Joyce,  of course joined them and next thing i knew she figured out how to climb the slide! She made it to the top and then slid down on her belly. She was not happy when it was time to eat. Then she would not eat well, all the while looking back at the slide. When we left for home she cried. That could also have been because she was so tired.

Gilgal gardens

This is the prefect spot to take the kids. Small, quiet, empty, shady, safe,  interesting, beautiful.

Trouble

you know when it's too quiet and you start to worry. Well this is what I found. Love that girl.

Picnic

Took kids to the park today. We had a picnic. Short but soooooo nice. Great weather and for a last minute activity it was surprisingly easy to do. Easier than the time I set up a wading pool in the back yard. That was a nightmare. Ward got bit by ants, though and Joyce wanted to chase all the dogs. Neither would stay on the blanket. 

DIY grout cleaner

Pour soy milk on it and let it sit for six hours. Then just wipe up with water. Who knew?!
Sorry, I lost the photo that proves it, but you have to believe me. 

Quite a day

This is from yesterday. Today was not photo worthy. Today the three of us were snot faucets. Ward had two blowouts - one in his car seat and the other on my lap. We survived by taking a trip to sams for bread, strolling down the shadier streets, playing in the blow up pool (icy water and grassy bums), and generally rolling around on the floor feeling like death warmed over. Yesterday Joyce was the only one really sick and she was extra grumpy. She would only eat peas. In some ways yesterday was worse. Twice, the kids had simultaneous meltdowns where they just cried harder the more the other one cried. Both needed to be held at the same time. Then last night Joyce was up for two hours. Finally, after eating a piece of bread she went to sleep. from 10 to 11, just as I got one settled and quiet and put myself to bed, just barely relaxing, as if on cue the other (or eventually just Joyce) would start to fuss. It was like my bed had an alarm tied to them. I eventually got to sleep for four hours straight on the couch. I couldn't trust my bed, plus it kept disturbing Bret I figured. Truth is, though, it was also hard to tune out the snoring. Maybe tonight will be better but I am headed to bed now. 7 pm

Bday flowers

 (sorry, photo is lost- but they were pretty)

I decided I deserved fresh flowers for my birthday. They were only a buck at the discount store so how could I resist? With a sick and teething baby on my hands and another that wakes every two hours to practice crawling I needed some extra pampering.

The project

Bret designed and built this at the cost of his back and much sleep over the last year. I can't believe it is finished. I had to stain it and I did a terrible job. But we both figure for our first, and likely last time ever, building furniture, it will do. My mother always said handmade us more valuable and mistakes show it is handmade. Now to finish loading it and organizing the basement! 

Sucker

This kid never stops sucking. when he loses his toy he sucks on the bumbo. (sorry, original bumbo sucking photo is lost) Fingers, forearms, shoulders whatever he can get his mouth on.