What's brown and sticky?

A STICK!

I love that joke. :-)

I am feeling sappy and sentimental right now. I just watched 27 Dresses while waiting up for my husband to come home. He's getting off late, and I don't think I'm going to make it til midnight. We always joke that I'm going to turn into a pumpkin.... I think I just might.

I think I got my storybook romance...

Except that I married a very unromantic, ultra-logical and practical kind of guy.






We still have plenty of drama, and he still loves me.

I just wish we had pictures together.

Some days it makes me sad that I'm forever the one behind the camera, and there's rarely a photo with the two of us in it.








At least he has a sense of humor... however crude.

I love my big lug. I miss him now that he works evenings again. It's funny that when we met he worked 3rd shift, and even through the tough times when we worked a few jobs a piece, he's worked late into the night.








This seems to be a recurring theme in our lives. He does so much for our family, and while it is great that child care will be practically a non-issue, I still miss my little moments of romance. I get swept off my feet occasionally, but my days of feeling like a princess are becoming fewer and farther between. It's not even because of our one year old! I am so glad he enjoys his new job, and promotion. I teach, he does technology. We own a house, we have a baby. We can pay our bills, we have a yard. All that's missing is a puppy! Sappy Sappy me. I'll just sit here and be a hopeless romantic by myself.








Someday they'll let him come back home. Meanwhile, midnight fast approaches.

While I wait for my prince to come, I'll have to try not to leave any glass slippers behind.

Mushy love stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Maybe I should trade in my flowers for a broomstick.

Huh, something brown and sticky, just my bag.

No more mokeys jumping on the bed.

We can't help all of the fun we have at our house.

Great grandma sent some really cute pajamas. Spiderman is spiderrific.

So we had to jump around in such cute jamas. We were two monkeys jumping on the bed, then I fell off and bumped my head.






Then there was one. Once mama called the doctor and the doctor said "no more mokeys jumping on the bed", well then we looked out the window to see what we could see.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood (part 2).

We love the park in our neighborhood.

It has a place to grill, park benches,

a basketball court, a playground,

AND swings!

Malcolm loved the playground tunnel.

He really wanted to go down the big curly slide. I always loved that one as a kid too. It was so cute to see him looking longingly at it.

It was also funny that he didn't love swinging at first, until mommy started saying wheeeee!

Then we were wheeeing all over the place!

Meanwhile, we had to settle for the smaller slide.

It wasn't long before Mac needed no help sliding down by himself.

Wheee!

Building Blocks

I feel like I am Building Bridges to future generations.
I can either be closed off, and separate myself from my posterity, or I can open the way for social interation, and love so that I am not only close to my son, but that through him I am close to his children and theirs. I have had the experience in my family to be closed off from my mother's side. Disowned, and misunderstood, in many different ways. I am grateful for the negative experiences, so that I have the knowledge that it's important not to alienate, but to provide the love and understanding that is needed to build relationships. I find myself listening alot, even though he's just over one.
It's easy to close off, and get on the computer (like I am now), or go out and do my own thing, leaving my son with someone else.
But, he also makes it incredibly easy to talk to him. He craves social interaction. I think it's more important to take a break from the housework, which can mostly be done during naptime, or check my e-mail some other time, so that he gets what he needs.

And what he needs is fun, and experience, and I love the experience.

I know you're probably sick of hearing about Malcolm, but my family is my life, and much more interesting than work, or working out. So, go play!

A day like any other

Last night Tim and I got to go on a date, a la the Mitchells who watched our beautiful baby while we nerded it out with Star Trek. I give it rave reviews bytheway.

So, It's Mother's Day. I had almost forgotten until church. The Relief Society sang a beautiful hymn, and the kids were so cute singing their songs. My letters to my mother and grandmother have long since been in the mail, and so, it had almost slipped my mind.

I am grateful for church to remind me of the important things in life. I am grateful for the strong women in my life who have given so much. My mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law are my closest living influences, and they are are so giving and wonderful. I hope that they treat themselves a little today.

I have no memorable tribute to write, but that does not lessen my gratitude.

Tim and I try to do for the people in our lives, but tend not to do anything at home for each other (a tradition that probably springs from starting very poor) on these hallmark occasions. Nonetheless, our family is grateful for the legacy left us, we have been given much.

I win the prize!

So, anyone who knows me, knows that this time of year is always crazy busy. The storm before the calm... if there is such a thing. Well, there have been some perks to distract me from the end of the years concert wind down.


First and foremost, I won! I never win anything, I am just one of those people, but I won! This week was teacher appreciation week. I often get overlooked because I am itinerant, and only make an appearance at each of the schools at which I teach. This does not diminish the job I do, but it sure makes me forgettable unless it is showtime, or there's a complaint.


Well, this week, I had 2 students bring me something, which is so sweet! Out of 300 students you would think I would feel slighted, but remember, I am often forgotten. 2 is actually a lot for me. I also had a parent bring me a lunch this week. I was so excited! It turns out that I don't even teach her child, but she found out I am LDS, and it turns out that I know her parents from one of the wards in our stake. Our community is a small one!


Then, to top all, on Friday, I won the big prize for the PTA gift drawings for teachers. I wonder how they knew I was doing a lot of gardening now. You have no idea how excited I am. The often-forgotten thankless job, has seemed very rewarding this week. Not only have I been well remembered, but I received the compliment of a lifetime at my first concert of the season on monday from a grandparent.


I must be doing something right. In fact, that seems to be my life lately. Tim's job seems to be working out well. He's been promoted, and though we don't see each other as much with the shift change, it should turn out better for our family. I am running like a champ, and getting back into the swimming groove. I've even started spinning classes to figure out what the heck I need to do on a bicycle.


My son (whom my world seems to revolve around) is getting smarter every day, not to mention bigger. We put his big kid car seat in the car, and he loves the box.


Though there's been a ton to keep us busy with our normal schedules, we're still trying to find time to get our garden set up, crop the canopy of our trees in the back, and get the new roof on. Summer will make things a little easier since I can get a lot done during the day. But, until then... I am smack dab in the middle of my hectic life/trying not to have too much fun.