A fall visit from Nana and Bapa

Normally each fall Michael and I go on a weekend getaway and have our parents watch the kids, but this year with a nursing baby we decided to stay home. Pretty lame, but we were still so glad my parents came up to visit anyway.

We decided to go to a pumpkin patch on our way to the Virginia Safari Park on Saturday. It was a great pumpkin patch--no one was there! We could take our pick, measure it next to the pumpkin size board, and then put our money in the "honor box" to pay. So much less expensive than the other big pumpkin patches, and I don't think our kids minded a bit that it didn't have activities or slides.

 Nice face.

 Daddy found a little pumpkin!

 Robbie loved pulling this wagon. I think we need to get one.

 Bapa and Clara.

 Running!

 Me and my pretty mama. I'm not actually this much taller than she is, but the ground was sloping.

 Beautiful day in the Shenandoah Valley.

After the pumpkin patch, we drove down to the safari park. I had heard what to expect, but it was still an adventure. Basically you drive through with a bucket (or two or three or four) of feed and they come up to your car to eat. 

 The llamas right by the entrance were very aggressive and just stood in front of the car, waiting for us to feed them. They would just peer in at the windows as we inched along (we didn't want to waste all our food on them since we'd just started the drive) and finally would let us pass. Several times when we did let our windows down the deer or llamas would get their head in the window. Lots of yelling and screaming and laughing (well, the stressful kind of laugh) in the car going on. I preferred to just throw them the feed. We saw bison, several kinds of deer, ostriches, emus, rheas, zebras, and elk.

After the drive-thru part of the park, we enjoyed the walking area, where we saw kangaroos, monkeys, a tiger, a cheetah, and big tortoises. Robbie wanted to take a picture with my camera.

This was a much more comfortable feeding experience.

 I was proud of myself at the budgie house. I first went in with a "budgie stick" (birdseed on a popsicle stick) and was immediately swarmed by the birds. I quickly exited while screaming in a ladylike way. Ahem.

However, I was determined not to be beaten by my fears, so after seeing my dad enter, I decided to go back in. Letting them land on me and crawl around with their claws and hearing the wings flutter by my ears was a very uncomfortable experience (I didn't realize I was so squeamish about birds), but I was proud of myself. I can do hard things. Haha!

 Sweet ride.

Clara sure loves her Bapa and Nana.

We enjoyed some great weather while they were here, so we ate al fresco at least once. 

On Saturday, my parents graciously watched the kids while Michael and I went into the office to get some stuff done. They went to the children's museum and the library and also dropped by Home Depot.

 How serendipitous that they were having an event there in the parking lot where kids could get in a police car and a fire truck! Robbie was in heaven. As long as you are sitting in the front seat, you're good, buddy.

 Thanks again for a wonderful visit, Mom and Dad. We sure love you!

Robbie these days

Robbie is just learning and growing so much. He is getting very creative in his Lego play and now plays with the little Legos in his room during quiet time (after which he often takes a nap, mercifully :-)). Two days ago I got him from quiet time and he showed me the sword he had made. This is a far cry from the boy a year ago who loved to just fill up the green plate with the 2x2 Legos to make a birthday cake. I was proud of him for doing that, too, and it's fun now to see his mind and abilities grow. He is starting to get into superheroes--Daddy has shown him some Star Wars, which he liked, and he is also interested in Spider-man, fighting, etc. He has fun playing peek-a-boo with Henry, who just watches him so eagerly--you can tell he wants to do what his big brother does. Robbie is also into categorizing things (grouping like objects together, etc.). He and Clara quarrel a lot (both of them love to antagonize and provoke the other), but they also enjoy being together and laughing and being crazy. If I'm there to referee, things go pretty well. Not sure how to improve their relationships but I'm praying about it.

I wish I could remember every funny thing that Robbie says every day. The other day he told me he needed to go potty but then came back informing me he didn't need to. "My bum just burped," he said. "And now I feel much better." Earlier that same day he had accidentally unscrewed part of the whiteboard and was trying to fix it. "Can I help?" I asked. "No!" he responded. "Only boys can fix things. Girls only sweep." ?! After agreeing to let me help, he decided that both boys and girls could fix things and that we could work together.

He is still pretty particular when it comes to food and loves macaroni and cheese and pizza but doesn't like most pasta, anything green (although he enjoys removing the peas from the sugar snap pea pods and will occasionally drink a green smoothie), or most meat. He does love chocolate, chewy candy like Starbursts, Oatmeal Squares, "teeny wheats," apples dipped in peanut butter, and cheese.

Robbie continues to be a social guy and is the life of the party at church activities. People pretty much love him, although he unfortunately doesn't always reciprocate (we're working on manners and not sticking your tongue out at people). He is a good messer-upper and a good helper and cleaner, which is a pretty good combination.

 I took some pictures of the kids last week when Nana and Bapa were here. I love every one of these--so Robbie.

Super fun with a super (babe) friend

My BYU roommate, Chelsey, and her family came to visit us a couple of weeks ago from North Carolina. It was such a treat!!

 We drove up to Big Meadows in the Shenandoah National Forest and enjoyed a picnic lunch before starting off on our hike.

Jillian on the horse hitch post.

 Lucy and a stick. Small caption for such a big personality.

 We hiked up to Hawks' Bill, the highest peak in the park. Robbie really wanted to climb all over the place; it gave me heart palpitations.

 Henry appears concerned about the height as well.

Can I just say that getting everyone to look and smile is a lot harder than it should be?

 Crazy Robbie!

 My sweet ten and three-quarters girl. Don't just call her ten years old. Trust me.

I love this baby!

 Double gorgeous--man and scene.

 That night we enjoyed some homemade pizza and then roasted marshmallows. Clara really loved these kids and they were very sweet with her.

 Doesn't get much better than a s'more with a marshmallow the size of your fist.

Thanks again for coming, Chels, and for being one of the best women I am privileged to know.

A quick visit from Grandma and Grandpa

A few weeks ago we were thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa could come visit for a few days. David and Char also came over for the weekend, and I sadly only got a couple pictures as evidence.

Here is Nina, David and Char's eight-year-old (?) playing with Henry. She loved holding him and was so cute with him. Robbie loved playing with his cousins, especially Lincoln, and he often talks about him and wants to see him. We are so glad that they are close by (in D.C.) for several more months while David learns Hindi in preparation for his first foreign service in New Delhi, India.

Grandma and Grandpa were awesome, as always. It was a privilege to have Grandpa ordain Michael as the bishop of our ward that Sunday. The next five years will certainly be a new adventure for us, but I feel peace about it and know it will be a blessing to our family. When the stake president met with us, he talked about the mantle of a bishop, and he felt that the mantle was charity, receiving and feeling Christ's love for God's children. That makes total sense.

Birthday fun

Michael and the kids made me a big "Happy Birthday Mommy!" banner.

The kids wanted to take it down the next day but I am insisting it stay up at least a week.

With the help of Daddy, the kids each made me a coupon card--Clara's was for 12 hugs upon request, and Robbie's was for 3 living room clean-ups upon request. I am going to cash them in for sure. Michael gave me a new scripture bag which I'd asked for, and he also watched the kids for much of the day (even taking them grocery-shopping). We (Michael and the kids) went swimming at our friends' house, the Whiting's, over lunch, which was fun as well. Another gift was painting the kitchen for me and hanging up curtains. But more on that in a future post.

Hooray for another happy birthday!

Back to school

Clara is now in the fifth grade, amazingly.

 Ready to go, no fear. Double peace signs all the way. She was very pleased to have Mrs. Morris as her teacher. She was Clara's aide for a little while in Kindergarten, so they have a good relationship already. Hope it stays that way!

Bunny ears for little brother.

Robbie also got "school clothes" and a bookbag that is over half the size of him. He'll have to grow into it. I was stressed for several months about if and which preschool to put him in, but eventually I realized that the reason I didn't feel good about it was because I shouldn't put him in this year. We are enjoying doing "Teach Me Mommy" with my mom's book two mornings a week.

 My favorite guys.

This year's front entry school decor. Courage, my child, and on, on to the victory.

Thirty-three things that make me happy

As of yesterday, I have been on this beautiful earth for thirty-three years. That's a pretty good amount of time. I am so thankful for my parents and older siblings who raised me and loved (love) me. Birthdays should really be the day to thank parents, not Father's and Mother's days, you know?

In honor of this day, here are 33 things that make me happy:

1. My husband and best friend, Michael
2. Clara and Robbie playing nicely and laughing together
3. Good naps from Henry
4. Getting to bed by 9:30pm
5. Waking up early and having a good scripture study session
6. Green, trimmed grass
7. Warm, breezy days without much humidity
8. Laughing about movie quotes with Michael
9. Good listeners who validate my feelings
10. Sweet young women at church who are brave and make good choices
11. The temple
12.Vanilla ice cream with chocolate chip cookies or candy bar pieces
13. Good salad
14. Fresh tomatoes from the garden
15. Gardens that actually produce produce
16. YA/youth lit that sucks you in (enjoyed reading Brandon Mull this year)
17. Clean floors
18. Having (making) the time to practice voice and piano
19. Singing
20. A good workout and stretch
21. Breakfast--I look forward to eating it every day
22. Newly-trimmed nails
23. Homemade whole wheat bread
24. new Crayola markers
25. A full tank of gas
26. A clean car
27. Henry smiles and laughter
28. Talking with friends who inspire and uplift me and help me feel adequate
29. Blogging and journaling
30. Being outside, especially with my family
31. The mysterious scent I sometimes smell outside walking that I love but cannot place; some sort of herb or plant that grows wild but I can't ever seem to figure out what it is
32. A fully-stocked refrigerator and freezer
33. The blessings and promises of the gospel of Jesus Christ

Fun with the Superbabes

Last month, we drove to Richmond and enjoyed a day with my BYU roommates Joy, Chelsey, and Karisa and their awesome families. Karisa took these and shared them.

 Joy got water balloons for the kids. Big hit.

 Robbie really wanted Karisa to take a picture of him, and I think he thought he was smiling.

 Robbie and Annie, Joy's little cutie.

 The menfolk.

 Sugar Shack donuts!

I feel super blessed to have these folks as friends.

Lucky 13th

Thirteen years ago, Michael and I were married in the Atlanta temple. In some ways it seems like yesterday, but in others it seem like, "Wow, that's a long time. Thirteen years!" I am truly learning how fundamental love and sacrifice and teamwork are to happiness. He pretty much rocks in every way.

To celebrate, we went to a Japanese steakhouse and then sat and chatted at the JMU Arboretum. Nothing glamorous, but that was fine with me.

 Of course, our little buddy accompanied us.

xoxoxoxo

More of baby Henry (or Hankie-poo, as Clara calls him)

Had to post a few more pics of Henry, here at nearly ten weeks old.

 Big yawn!

 Hey . . . how you doin'?

 Okay, fine. I'll give you one of my killer smiles. Just because I love you.

 Clara wanted to use my camera. She did a good job!

 We sure love this guy.