Sights We've Seen

WW2 Memorial and all the war memorials surrounding it. I'm standing next to CA to honor my grandpa Denny and his service in the Navy during the war. After taking this pic, I remembered that while my whole life my grandpa lived in LA, he joined the military in his hometown in Illinois. But who cares, Grandpa Denny caught my drift up in heaven.




A view of the monument from the WW2 Memorial.




The DC temple (actually in Maryland). It's like a mini temple square, with a fraction of the crowded masses factor. Very cool. But just like Temple Square, those cute Sisters roped us in to giving them a referral. Bless their hearts.




The Botanic Gardens. They facilitated an entire room of about 15 toy trains. Heaven for Will. He stayed in this exact same position for about an hour.




Paid our respects to Julia at the American History Museum. Also saw the Transportation Hall (lots of trains, planes, and automobiles)




Spent Christmas night at the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon. So cool. A must see. Especially at night.




Another picture from the American History Museum. Will got to meet Emily Pickersgill (or someone dressed as Emily Pickersgill), the maker of the 15 star flag, and got to help set out all the pieces for her to sew. He even got to place a star on the cannon. He thought he was pretty cool.

Also seen, but not photographical evidence:
Arlington Cemetary (Kennedy Family graves and changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier)
Union Station (DC's Grand Central Station)
A private tour of the Capital Building (honestly, next to walking on the Great Wall, it's one of the coolest places I've ever been in my whole life)
Lincoln Memorial
Air and Space Museum

This really is the coolest place to live. I've told Cort that while there are many drawbacks (cost of living, traffic, etc), I know I'll never live anywhere where I can educated my children more than here. I mean, how many places can you live where your kid is interested in trains, dinosaurs, and airplanes and be able to show him at least 20 different historic sights having to do with their latest obsessions to satiate their mind's appetites?!

I feel like I can give my kids the world, here.

Christmas

This Christmas has been a little rough-not going to lie. I usually look forward to this time of year as a time to grow spiritually and spend lots of time with our beloved friends, but because of moving I feel like we just skipped Christmas. I've spent every waking moment trying to help Will adjust (please keep him in your prayers, he's really struggling with all these changes) that I haven't even watched TV since we moved (except for when Duke wakes up at 4 for no reason, then I watch Barefoot Contessa with him), let alone put any effort into the holiday. You'd think we were Jewish if you saw our house right now. Not a single decoration.

Yesterday I started crying, realizing that it's Christmas Eve and I had spent no time reading my scriptures (I love reading 3 Nephi, and prophecies of the Savior in the Old Testament) to prepare for this blessed day where we celebrate the birth of Christ. I felt so guilty. And overwhelmed. Adding to that, the two families we are close to in Vienna are away this Christmas. I was really feeling homesick and grumpy.

Luckily we have one other friend in DC.....the Wilcox Family! We made our way up to Silver Springs and had a great time being with friends and making new ones. Just that camaraderie really helped me feel better about the day. I also decided one of the reason it didn't feel very Christmas-y was that I made zero holiday food this year.

After Cami's, I decided enough is enough and I went to the store and bought too much fattening stuff and went home and started cooking/baking away. That really helped. Food really can heal the soul.

Next year, I have vowed to have a Christmas tree and lots of decorations and I'm planning on hitting up some after Christmas sales to stock up on tree trimmings in preparation.

Christmas 2012- I'll be ready for you!

A Night in Tuscany

That was the theme of Cort's company Christmas party, but I have to say, I can't really think of anything the entire night that made me think of Italy. Not that it mattered or anything, because the night was so much fun.







Here we are right before we headed out the door. This dress was way cuter than it looks in the picture. It was a Ralph Lauren bias cut dress that had really beautiful rouching details. I bought it in a panic after my first dress didn't work out, but ended up really loving my 2nd choice. This look is brought to you by: TJ Maxx (dress), Janessa James-my sixteen year-old neighbor (hair), Forever 21 (accessories), and Target (shoes). And this look was compiled by Cami Wilcox, my stylist.







The party was at the Mellon Auditorium, on the Mall. There was a band and lots of dancing. Followed by delicious appetizers and a dessert room:) There were hoards of valets covering me with umbrellas from the taxi to the entrance. I felt super VIP. We got there right when it started so there's hardly anyone there in this pic, but it filled up really quick. The whole evening was a great reminder we don't work for the government anymore.

The best decision of the night was folding ballet flats into my coat pocket to relieve my feet from my heels. Wow, heels really hurt! Its been so long since i wore heels for anything longer than church and i forgot how incredibly uncomfortable they are. Made me really appreciate my mommy wardrobe of jeans and converse.







The cream puff tower in the dessert room.







My cute up-do fell out during the night (complications of having so much hair). This is us shortly before we left after eating waaayyy too many cream puffs and mini fruit tarts. It was a really fun night. Already thinking about next year!

on my fifth year of marriage, my true love gave to me:

5 different homes/moves.






4 different cars (Malibu, explorer, sienna, camry).







3 jobs each. Cort-NuSkin, OSU, TABC. Me-NuSkin, Fisher, Freelance writer/editor.






2 high-risk pregnancies, resulting in 2 very wiley boys.






1 eternity together.








I've thought so much about "us" during this latest transition and I'm so thankful I married someone who loved adventure as much as me. I love that when new opportunities arise, we seize the moment, throw caution to the wind, and run into the darkness. Its scary, and frightening, and sometimes lonely, but we always come out so much better than before. Each time we move, we get to a deeper level with each other (easy to do when you're the only person your wife knows within a hundred miles) and now the thought of staying in one place for 5 years just seems boring. In fact now that I'm thinking about it, moving to VA was my 12th move since I was seventeen and moved away to college (9 years ago). There's something so satisfying about forging a completely new life, just the four of us.

Thanks for waiting all those years for me to grow up so that we could fall in love and have this awesome life.

I hope I'm always worth the wait.

Love you.

We're Alive...in Virginia!

We're alive! We are only living 35% out of boxes at this point, so all is not lost. Here are some random thoughts that have gone through my mind since moving.

Kids aren't as adaptable as I used to think. Maybe other kids are, but mine just aren't adjusting very well. Will has an exorcist meltdown at 4 pm, and then a second at 8 pm every. day.

I just learned I can ride my bike on a designated trail from my house to Pittsburg, if I ever wanted to do that.

We live in an OLD ward. 5 kids in nursery.

Traffic is the bain of my existence.

Never ever be on the road between 5-7 pm.

Order everything you can on amazon to avoid sitting in traffic to get to the store.

The grocery section at Target is the cheapest grocery store I've found so far.

I definitely need a Phil and Teds stroller. Took our double jogger to Union Station yesterday and it was a nightmare.

The metro is cool.

Target is 20 min away. Walmart is 15 min away. Costco is 15 min away. All of these are times withOuT traffic. This is why I order everything I can from amazon.

Will has starting voicing the most annoying cackle/evil laugh and it is one of the most horrible sounds on earth. And he loves doing it in public.

There are 2 different kinds of people in DC. Those who think kids are cool and cute and you're a great Mom for having 2 kids AND those who think you (and by extension, your kids) are disgusting. You know they are the latter when they slowly inch away from you on the metro.

Our house is great. Small, but it works for us and we love it. Neighbors are awesome too (they raked our 6 inches of leaves in the yard for us).

We are 20 min from Cafe Rio.

Cortney loves his job. He's a totally different person now. He is so happy and has every intention of staying with The Advisory Board Company for the rest of his career. It's a perfect fit for him. And a week on the job, and he's already a manager:)

Looking forward to utilizing our close proximity to a cruise port.

Found the best gym. The kids section has an indoor playground, a computer room, craft table, etc. My kids love going and even duke spent want to leave when I come get him. They also have a spa/salon, pool, and cafe for adults. Planning of showering there every day to fully utilize my 2 hour time limit.

We furnished half our house from craigslist after we got here. We went to pick up a hutch one night and came home with a hutch, a BBQ, a marble slab patio table, and shoe organizers.

We have a guest room, a sofa bed, and if that still isn't enough sleeping space, I promise to buy a snazzy aero bed if we need for space for visitors.

Our neighbors across the street are from Alpine and work for senator Mike Lee. They are the kindest family and love that great babysitters are just a few steps away!

It is SO sunny here. Blue skies too. Makes me realize how gloomy Columbus is.

Hasn't gotten below 50 since we've been here. If this is typical winter, count me in.

Cort's company has "legendary" Christmas parties and we are so excited to go to our first one. It's a live band/sit down dinner/dancing/after party gig. My dreams of playing dress up have come true and I'm guaranteed at least one night a year where I can pretend I'm VIP.

My dear friend Cassie came to help me organize my kitchen and it's amazing. She's like a magician. She takes a ton of stuff, and makes it all disappear, one container at a time.

Having a portable dishwasher isn't as bad as I thought.

It's so nice to hang out with Cami again. Forgot how much I missed her. Great having friends where you pick up right where you left off.

I've sold 60 copies of my book so far.

I'm exhausted.

Duke has a mullet. His hair will be cut in the next week.





I saw this sitting in traffic today and it made me laugh.




My cupboards, "Cassified"




One of the millions of self portraits Will has taken in the last week.

Moving Blows

My kids have been watching a eating pure junk for a week straight. I'm drowning-physically, emotionally, most certainly, mentally. Everything has happened so fast that I haven't even had time to process that we're actually leaving this paradise we call Ohio. And along with that, our "friends family", which is the closest, most supportive, tight knit family ever.

All this finally collapsed on top of me and I sat at the kitchen table tonight and cried, for a long time. The friends I have made here are so much more than friends and I'm scared I'll never form relationships like that with other women again.

Ohioans are so down to earth, loyal, and genuine. I feel like the entire state is a family unit. The kindest people in the world live in Ohio, and I know I'll always know that to be true.

I am SO tired and my writing proves it! I don't think any of this even makes sense.

Bottom line: Virginia, I know I'll love you, but I'll ALWAYS be from Ohio.

It's Done!!!!!

Go get your copy here: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/till-we-eat-again/18672439

And spread the word, if you feel so inclined:)

'til we eat again-orders?

I'm finally submitting my cookbook to be published! I finally got to a point where I just had to call it quits because just when I thought it was finished, I'd find another typo or formatting issue. But I think it's finally 95% perfect and hopefully no one notices the 5% errors:)

If you live in Columbus and you can come pick up your copy around Thanksgiving, I can order it and save you the shipping. It's $12 a copy and has 90 tried ad true recipes, along with my blood, sweat, ad tears. I'll even autograph it, which will make it worth at least $12.01:) These make great Christmas gifts...wink wink;)

For all of you non-Columbus residents, I will be posting a link shortly for you to order them online.

Happy Trails!

I think we're moving to Stepford...

We signed a lease this week for a 3 bed/2 bath house in Vienna, VA. How much, you ask? You don't want to know. But I will say that this house with a yard, was only $150 more than some of the 2 bed condos we were looking at. An older couple raised their kids there and were dead set on a "cute young family" living there, and after they had said no to 10 other people, we're the lucky family!

I was told that the address of this house was in a really good neighborhood full of older homes (think the cape cod homes in UA) with lots of fun things close by. After further review, I'm convinced we are moving to the most perfect town on the planet.

1) let's talk walkability. We are a 1 mile walk from: 2 parks, the library, community center, grocery store, restaurants, metro, elementary school, yoga studio, gym, bank, and pretty much anything else you could ever need.

2) there's a bike trail close by the house that goes all the way into the District lined by parks and bed and breakfasts. We, suddenly, desperately need bikes.

3) the community center offers classes and activities for all ages. Toddler tumbling? Check. Adult tap dancing? Check. Family field trips to plays at the Kennedy Center? Check.

4) the mayor volunteers at the library on Tuesday nights.

5) all the schools are ranked at least 8 out of 10 in a 10 mile radius.

6) kids can write Santa a letter, mail it to the community center, and Santa will send them a letter back to their house! Not joking, kids.

On a side note, I'm exhausted. Does anyone else dream of checking into a hotel by themselves for a few days, just to sleep? I slept 10 hours last night and felt twice as tired when I woke up this morning. Why is that? Do mom's get "sick days"? Where we can just lay in bed because we just aren't quite ready to face the world?

I think I'm going to start a competition where a bunch of tired moms get together and they each get a hotel room and 1 ambien. They can wake up to eat once, and the mom who sleeps the most in a 24 hour period, wins. I'm betting I could sleep 17 hours or so right now.

And, with that, I'm going to bed. It's 8 pm. Hope I feel better tomorrow. And, that dull headache I've had for a week dies in my slumber. I have zero sympathy for it. Die, headache. Die.

Calvin and Hobbes

Cha-Cha-Cha Changes

We're moving to D.C.! Cortney got a new job (healthcare consultant) in the District and we'll be moving Thanksgiving weekend to Vienna, VA.

We are so sad to leave our hometown of Columbus, but we know this is the next step for our family and have felt the Lord's hand throughout this event.

They say Virginia is for lovers, so I think we'll fit right in:)

Know anyone that wants a perfect house on a perfect street? We know a place...

The Fuzzy Jar

I started a "positive reinforcement" program with Will and it has changed my life! I have a mason jar on top of the fridge and every time Will does something nice, or makes a good choice, he gets a fuzzy to put in the jar on the fridge. What's a fuzzy you ask? It's a cheap little craft pom pom. I keep a handful in my pocket, so I can quickly reward Will when he's being good/nice/considerate etc. When the jar is full he gets to dump it out and do something totally awesome with Dad. Last Friday was the first big reward day and they went to an Upper Arlington High School Football game together. Both loved it, but came home at halftime due to cold weather. Next big reward is World of Bounce...destined to be a hit I'm sure.

5 Facts About Duke

1. Figured out the child-proof locks on all of the cabinets-something Will STILL hasn't even attempted.

2. Likes to dance to his brother's singing of the ABCs.

3. Loves spinach raviolis.

4. When you open the door to get him out of his crib, he says "hi!" in the cutest possible way.

5. Has switched places with Will as the mess maker i.e. Dumping out all the toys in the basement every single day.

5 Facts About Will

1. Has discovered video games...sort of. The picture below is him playing Dora's Magic Castle on a computer at the library. After many attempts, he finally figured it out this week. Don't you love the concentration on his face?!

2. Constantly saying, "watch! Watch!" and then we tell him we're watching and he does something goofy he made up on the spot to get attention.

3. Sings the ABC's with incredible vigor.

4. Could easily try out for the Olympics, if there were a somersault event.

5. Can count to eight in Chinese. This one makes his Chinese-loving parents especially proud.

what happens when you have an accident at the park and the only clothes that you have available are your little brother's

Will the Photographer

Will learned how to take pictures with my phone this week. Here are some of his most recent shots.



The portrait of his mother. Sitting on the floor, exhausted at the end of the day. Very accurate.




Self Portrait.




The ceiling fan. Maybe this is a throwback to his youth when he was completely mesmerized by the ceiling fan.




Dad in the hallway. Not sure what Cortney is doing in the picture, but I'm going to bet he's on his way to retrieving Duke's toothbrush from his crib-his favorite toy.




The colors in this one are truly moving.




Mom and dad. This is the point of the day where the conversation goes like this... "you tired?" "yeah, real tired."




Love the angle of the couch here.




And my personal favorite Duke. He captures his mobility, but also the consistency of his cute face.

I think we have a photography prodigy on our hands, don't you?

Forgetting and Remembering

This picture helps me forget:
-the obscene amount of poopy diapers I changed today.
-the fact that Will pooped on the basement floor AND pooped in his underwear.
-my house is a total wreck
- I haven't cleaned the bathrooms in 2 months
- Duke threw everything I fed him on the floor
-my back hurts
-I have to get up at 5:30 tomorrow
-I totally screwed up the enchiladas I made for dinner
-I'm pretty sure I have BO at the moment

But it helps me remember:
-my kids have perfect smiles
-Dads can make anything cool
-houses can be cleaned later
-the kids are happy and healthy
-eventually ALL kids figure out ALL aspects of the potty training thing
-cortney loves being a dad and he's a darn good one
-will and duke are crazy about each other and while they get into tons of trouble together, they constantly look out for each other
- the boys have great balance
-I live in a really cute house on a quiet street
-tomorrow will be better
-today was still a good day (no ER visits:)



Following this picture, we had a dance party to the Foo Fighters and Will did about 30 somersaults and we reminisced about the absolutely amazing FF concert we were privileged to be a part of last week.

And then we went to bed. And I was happy.

'til We Eat Again-a teaser

May 4, 1994
Laguna Hills, CA

One day after school, a woman from church was teaching a group of us 9-10 year-old girls how to make white bread. I was so amazed that such simple ingredients like flour, water, oil, and salt could produce something so heavenly. It was messy and we were all coated in a layer of flour by the time we were done kneading, but I’ll never forget the smell of freshly bread. I mean, really, is there anything better in the world than fresh bread, right from the oven?
I’ll give you time to think about that.

Keep thinking.

Not coming up with anything, right?

That’s because fresh bread is the best thing in the entire world. Taking this into account, you might imagine my elation when I realized I now had the skills to make this on my own and to woo my family with it. I went home and immediately started on my second loaf of bread for the day.

My mom was gone for the afternoon, so this was the perfect time to showcase my new skills and surprise my mom with the lovely aroma right when she walked through the front door. I was so thoughtful!

I carefully measured all the ingredients, tested the water for the right temperature so I wouldn’t kill the yeast, kneaded the dough, let it rise, and before I knew it I had just baked a beautiful loaf of bread. Mom came home an hour later and wow, was she impressed.

She asked, “Where did you learn how to do this?”

“Sister Barrett taught me today!”
Mom tasted the bread.

“Mmmmm, this is so good! Show me what recipe you used.”

I pulled out the folded up recipe from earlier that day and showed mom. She mentioned that it was just like a recipe that she had used before, except that my recipe called for olive oil.

“We don’t have any olive oil. So, what did you use instead?” she asked.

“Yes, we do! It’s right over here in the fridge!” I exclaim, so proud of myself.

I launch over to the fridge and pull out a bottle of olive oil that I have noticed in the same spot of the door for years. I show my mom. She turns white. This was not exactly the reaction I had been anticipating. At the time, my dad was the Bishop of our congregation at church. and being a bearer of the Priesthood, had oil that had been consecrated for healing the sick. I had used this oil to make my bread—which is about the equivalent of if I had used Holy Water to make Crystal Light.

Oops.

Holy Bread, for sure.

'til We Eat Again-Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins

You will become 300 times more popular if you bring a batch of these to school/work/anywhere else humans congregate. I’m talking “It Girl” popular. They’re a huge crowd pleaser. I mean, Banana Crumb Muffins…who does that? You. You do that. Because you’re awesome.

1 ½ c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c. white sugar
¼ c. brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. canola oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
½ t. cinnamon
1 T. butter


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease or line muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½ c. flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugars, egg, oil, and vanilla. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 T. flour and cinnamon. With a fork, cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles corse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
5. Bake for 16-20 minutes.

Location:'til We Eat Again- Banana Crumb Muffins

Pics of the week

My reward for running at 6 am--this gorgeous sunrise. Did I mention Ohio is heaven on Earth? It is. I just love our lives here. It's like the all-American childhood for kids and grown-ups.




What I found on my way to taking out the trash. *blush*




Duke McAllister DDS. He hasn't put down his toothbrush in over a week. No lie.




Probably my favorite pic of the week. The boys had so much fun playing in the rain yesterday. You know how there are just some pictures that completely sum up your life? This is one of them. This picture means so much to me (and Cort) because it totally displays these boys and how crazy they are about each other. But any other Joe Shmo would just think it was another picture of kids playing outside.




I came downstairs this morning to find Duke just like this, watching Sports Center. Turned on the tv by himself and everything. Bless his little adorable heart.

Pics of the Week

The Ultimate Best Friends. I mean, doesn't this picture just scream BFF?! I try really really really hard not to think about their impending separation in less than a year.




Naptime project--organizing the stockpile. This is the before pic. After pics to come.




And this little sweetie. We just love her. So. Much.

Dapper

Most of my friends and family know that 98% of my kids' clothes come from the thrift store. But not just the thrift store- the thrift store on half price day. Yes, the last Tuesday is one of my favorite days each month and last month was no exception. As the seasons are changing, it was time to buy Will's winter wardrobe-which I did for $20. That included 12 long sleeve shirts, 4 pants (we have more from handmedowns), 2 hoodies, lands end snow boots, and Tony Hawk skate shoes.

The rest of the boys' wardrobes come from the target clearance rack and grandma. Columbus is a hot spot for fantastic thrift stores. We're so lucky! I know multiple families who use the local thrift stores to solely clothe their families and furnish their homes and they are easily some of the most fashionable people I know.

Here is one of Will's new school outfits. Handsome, no? He looks so grown up each time I buy him bigger clothes, but grown up in a good way. His entire outfit cost $5. The shirt and cords were $1 each and the shoes were $3 at Target.

And with the seasons changing, it's time for Mom and Dad to get some new threads. We'll be heading to the "expensive" thrift store-Goodwill-where we'll have to pay a whopping $3.50 an item. Looks like we have a hot date night in our future!

What's going on around here...

We added this new member to our family. Her name is Scarlett and we love her already. I absolutely hate that I am 25 and drive a minivan, but I just try to tell myself it's not necessarily a van, just a bigger car. But whatever animosity I have towards vans is quickly diffused by how functional they are. I regularly have 4 carseats in there and no kid can touch another kid. It's a beautiful thing. Oh, and did i mention the automatic sliding door? It makes me happy. We picked up Scarlett at a bargain price and she had been babied her whole life and will likely serve us for the next decade. She is also my first red car:)

But on a side note, next to pregnancy, buying a used car was the hardest, most stressful thing I have ever done in my entire life.




These 2 started preschool on Monday and they are obsessed. We have this great system worked out-Carie takes them to school and I pick them up. I LOVE carpooling. Is it shameful to admit it's one of my favorite parts of the day? I love listening to what Will and Grace talk about in the back seat.

Mom and Duke are loving spending the mornings cuddling/reading/playing together while big bro is at school.




We also added this little doll to our family part-time. Her mom and dad are great friends of ours/former neighbors/former classmates of our Fisher days. She comes to play M-F and we love her so very much. I mean, with those eyes, who wouldn't?

As you can see, we're busy. But it's a good busy. A really good, happy, blessed busy.

Open For Business!

Many of you know that I finished my last two years of high school in Temecula, CA and during those two years I worked at a flower shop mostly doing wedding flowers for many of the wineries in the area. It was absolutely the perfect job! It was a total blast and about a million times better than my friends' jobs at Burger King and Hollywood Video.

We were a pretty well known establishment and it was not uncommon to do seven, eight, nine, or even ten weddings a weekend. One time, after delivering the flowers to the wedding location were informed that photos would be taken of the wedding for Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine! Who could say their work was "published" at sixteen?!

Since then I've always done floral design for my friends weddings (I'll be doing one in two weeks!) and I am opening up this offer to everyone! I can pretty much do whatever you want. If you know someone who is getting married, send them on over! Bouquets, yeah, I totally rock those. Boutonnières and corsages, yep, done and done. Centerpieces, girl, I can so those in my sleep. I just love doing it and someday I'd like to open up this business in a much larger scale, but for right now, I'm thrilled to help out whoever I can. I'll work with your budget and we can make something that will really knock your socks off! Sorry for the lame phrase...it was the first thing that came to mind.

And on another note...

I'm also known for this cooking thing... Most of you may also know that my bachelors degree is in Hospitality Management emphasizing in Event Planning. It was a dream of a college career, let me tell you. One part business, one part hospitality, and one part culinary arts equals one happy graduate!

I've always loved cooking and after years of practice and learning, I'm confident enough in my abilities to market myself as a dinner party caterer! I'll come to your house, prepare all the food, put together a fab table setting, and sneak out right before the guests come so you can take all the credit! Sounds good, right? Having a holiday party but want to make grandma's secret recipes? No biggie, I can help you create the perfect menu all your guests will love and do all the tedious prep work so you can have plenty of time to look pretty for the party. I'll help you look like Wonder Woman, and no one will ever know, shhhh your secret is safe with me sis;)

Just give me a e-jingle if I can help!

Smooch,

Amy

amybeth345@hotmail.com

What Victory Looks Like

Sneaky Cheap Mom

I had a sad, sorry moment at Target this morning...

Will is 80% potty trained and with the wonderful/glorious/joyful development, I realized he only had 5 pairs of underwear-not nearly enough. Luckily this coincided with back-to-school shopping, when underwear and socks are on sale, hence the voyage to Target.

Being the finance conscious person that I am, I was calculating the price per underwear ratio for all of the Target, Hanes, and Fruit of the Loom options. Will quickly ran over and grabbed the Thomas the Train pack- $9/5 pairs. They were cute and he was excited. Then, as usual, he ran over to the big bin of balls. While still keeping him in my vision, I finished my financial evaluation and came across a 6 pack of plain white underwear for $5.50. I thought about it much longer than I should have and tossed the Thomas undies back and grabbed the tighty whiteys. I felt guilty and still do partially. Will didn't notice when we checked out, but I doubt he even remembers now.

When he truly cares about his underwear, so will I. But for now, baby, we have to save for your college-heaven knows it'll be about a million dollars when you're 18.

Good News and Bad News

Good News: I found the black rubber piece of our bike pump that I thought Will swallowed yesterday!

Bad News: I have absolutely no clue what foreign object he actually swallowed yesterday...

5 Facts About Will

1. Thinks his brother doubles as a golden retriever and constantly throws things and screams, "get it Duke!"

2. Has the most awful smelling feet on the face of the earth. Truly I had no idea such a disgusting stench could come from a 3 year-old.

3. Is adamant about everyone wearing a seatbelt.

4. Does a rousing rendition of "Once There Was a Snowman".

5. Fierce Angry Birds competitor. Those pigs don't stand a chance against Will.

5 Facts About Duke

1. Folds his arms when praying (adorable).

2. Said his first word, "clap", which sounds a lot more like "cwap! Cwap!"

3. Has a great ghetto booty shake when the beat is right.

4. Doesn't like peanut butter-the ONLY thing we have ever given him that he won't eat.

5. Still poops 4+ times a day. He has a very healthy colon.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

We had the privilege of being at my grandma's 90th birthday party over the weekend. Wow! I've always known Marcella was a classy lady, but I was floored at all she has accomplished and overcome in her life thus far. A woman who has lost 3 children and her husband under tragic circumstances and I have never once heard her complain or make an excuse, ever. She has a burning testimony of the Savior and has lived her life accordingly, constantly in the service of others with a smile on her face. Such an elect lady! I miss spending time with her, but was so thankful we were able to be there for her special day. Grandma never ever forgets to send a birthday card, she always calls to find out what we learned at church, and to ask how the kids are. Grandma, you will always be such a wonderful example to me! I'm honored to be able to call you my Grandma.

And P.S. You're cute as a button.

Proud

This seems to be the time of year to be proud. Here are a few things I'm proud of...in no particular order.

I'm proud to be a Mormon-born and raised.
I'm proud to be Will and Duke's mother.
I'm proud to be married to Cort-my best friend.
I'm proud that my husband is so adorably handsome and funny.
I'm proud to live in America, a gorgeous country, allowing me the freedom to practice my religion peacefully (most of the time).
I'm proud that my Dad is a leader of the Inter Faith Council in his city, bringing together leaders from all faiths to help the community. I laugh that at one point, Dad's best friends were the Stake President (Mormon), Paster Randy (Non-Denominational Christian), and Machmud (local Muslim leader).
I'm proud that I got married when I did, at 21.
I'm proud that I had Will (albeit, unexpectedly) at 22 and Duke at 24 and proud that more than a few strangers have asked if I'm the nanny.
I'm proud of our garden.
I'm proud of my pioneer heritage.
I'm proud that I breastfed Duke for 6 months-I know, not that long, but it was a big accomplishment for me.
I'm proud to be a registered independent.
I'm proud to admit that I do not like Journey or Guns 'n Roses-too much hype for not enough substance IMO.
I'm proud of the fact that I have never tasted alcohol, or any drugs. Nor had any desire to try them.
I'm proud to say that my husband is the only man that ever "knew" me.
I'm proud of my curvy, athletic body that allows me to bear children and sustain the stamina to keep up with them. Cortney is proud of my body too:)
I'm proud of my newfound status as a flexitarian.
I'm tremendously proud of the book I am writing and hope many people will find it useful and wildly entertaining.
I'm proud of my mom and the way she instills confidence in her children.
I'm proud of my cooking abilities.
I'm proud of my recent distance running addiction.
I'm proud to be a homeowner.
I'm proud of saggy tummy-evidence I have housed 2 sweet/adorable/huge babies for prolonged periods of time.
I'm proud of my temple attendance.
I'm proud that I won the jump roping competition in Kindergarten.
I'm proud of my education.
I'm proud to be associated with my friends.
I'm proud to be a Buckeye and a Cougar.
I'm proud to drive a Camry-true.
I'm proud that Cortney encourages me to follow my dreams, and does everything in his power to push me towards them.
I'm proud that I have arranged wedding flowers published in Martha Stewart Weddings.
I'm proud to be a Michael Jackon, Pre-Crack Whitney Houston, and Elton John fan.
I'm proud to love black licorice. And proud to admit that I love black licorice.

And in conclusion, I'm proud of this list.

Duke's first pair of shoes

Crocks were the only ones that fit his apparently abnormally fat feet.

Now if we could just get him to walk...