Loving These Legs

I'm pretty sure if Natalie could talk she would have wanted me to take pictures of her in these leggings. I just love her chubby little legs and her bubble bum. (I'm sorry, there is just no other way to describe it.) Diapers and leggings...they just go together like peanut butter and jelly!

Showing off her legs...

One last pose for the audience...I did try to get a picture of her face, but I couldn't get her to stop moving. She is just rolling and pulling herself all around the carpet these days.

Me and Jansen being silly after bathtime

So, a couple of things I really love right now. I have started reading more. Many of you know that I was the BIGGEST BOOKWORM in the WORLD in elementary school. I read in the bath, while walking home from school, at dinner time, in the car, etc. and for fun I would have my mom drop me off at the library after school and I would just sit for hours on those hard, wood chairs and read. Reading has kind of taken a backseat these last few years and I recently decided that I NEEDED books in my life and have since been reading a lot more and loving it. I had forgotten how much I enjoy it and I REALLY look forward to sitting down with my book and just relaxing.

My next love, and I have no idea how everyone feels about this, is I Can't Believe It's Not Butter in the spray form. I have seen this stuff for years and my grandparents always used it, but I always thought it was really weird. Well, I love popcorn and it is so hard to lightly butter popcorn when you have to pour the butter so I grabbed some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray the other day at the store for my popcorn and now I am obsessed. It is perfect for everything and I think it tastes fabulous. You might want to give it a try if you never have. Buttering my carrots and asparagus tonight was a breeze!

Baggie Taggie

I'd seen "bag tag" on other blogs and thought of starting a round of it, but I didn't have to because I got tagged by my cousin Angie. Woo hoo! Who doesn't love blogging material? So, you get your bag (I took a picture of mine), empty it out (you can't edit here), take a picture, and list the contents. My "bag" is pretty much completely a diaper bag, as you can see here.

It contains:

Diapers, wipes, desitin, and changing pad

Burp rags, bib, Natalie toys (that's what the toothbrush is...the necklaces as well...they didn't start out as toys, but I soon realized after putting them on that I was a dreamer thinking I could wear them all day and not get them yanked off), hand sanitizer

Keys, wallet, pen, lotions, tissues

Jansen bribes (candy, gum)

A list of everything that I need in my diaper bad so that I can glance at it and check them off whenever I leave. I love that list.

I am tagging, if they see this post and choose to participate, Ellie G., Annie P., Heather W., Meggin, and Kami!

The Circus We Call "Dinnertime"

For the most part, dinnertime has become an insane hour of craziness. Trying to plan, shop for, prepare, and serve dinner is a huge feat in itself...add in a fussy baby (at this time of day) and a toddler who doesn't like to eat...it makes for quite the adventure. Sometimes Nate and I just look at each like, "Is this for real?" It feels like it's all we can do to just to get some food down each of our throats. I foresee many enjoyable dinners together as a family, but right now, we're just kind of enduring mealtime.

Now Where Could They Have Gone...

...they were here just a minute ago!

Annie and Melanie, my sincerest apologies for letting your children play under the dirty rugs. Just building immunities!

Easter

I've been feeling really guilty about my negative pre-Easter post. First of all, it was actually really sunny on Easter...a cold, but beautiful day. And second, it's only March. I probably shouldn't be expecting to be outside in shorts and flip flops quite yet. And the most wonderful part of Easter Sunday? Moments in sacrament meeting that really touched me as I heard wonderful, wonderful songs about my Savior and heard talks that helped me reflect on Jesus Christ's love for all of us...and the hope that is always so bright when I focus on Him. Here are some pictures from other happy moments during the day:

A series of pictures I took as we tried to get Jansen to take a picture with Nate.

Now come just a little closer...
Trying to make the great escape
A bit of fear mixed with anger, resentment, and annoyance at his parents.
I love these people. Frankly, I love my whole ward. This has been a wonderful place to be.

This is a real duck egg in the yard. We had to warn everyone before the hunt lest an unsuspecting child cracked it open in search of a goodie. Now that would have been funny.

Another Freezing Cold Easter Weekend

I was hoping to never have another Easter like last year...snow and wind and cold. But apparently I am being punished for something and the COLD, snowy weather is making another appearance on what is supposed to be a sunny, spring-y holiday. Alright, alright! We promise to appreciate the warmth! Just let it warm up already! Some pictures from an egg hunt and brunch:

We tried Jansen's hand(s) at finger painting the other day. It was a good time, but I kept gasping each time Jansen would absentmindedly wipe his hands on himself or his pants. I'm planning on auctioning off his work to help us through the rest of med school.

I watch this video anytime I want to smile or laugh. I love to hear Natalie erupt into giggles, and I get a kick out of Jansen acting pretty silly at the end of it. Oh, and CHECK OUT NATALIE'S HAIR. This was right after a bath and I just let her hair dry how it wanted to. She's like a little troll doll.

Surprise!

So here's the story. Nate sent an email out to all the girls in our ward here in Columbus to invite them to a surprise birthday party for me at our house. A couple nights after he had sent the email, he went to work and I didn't want to go ALL the way downstairs to use the computer, so I flipped open his laptop and "the email" was staring me in the face.

I felt terrible! I decided there was no way I could "pretend" that I hadn't seen it, so when I talked to him that night I told him the sad news. I think he felt like all the wind had been let out of his sails. BUT, I have a good friend out here (Jennifer) who was born on March 20 and the same year as me and we decided to have a surprise party for HER! My friend Cara picked her up and Jennifer just thought they were headed to my house to celebrate my birthday. Cara called me as they were pulling in the driveway and when they arrived we yelled, "Surprise!!!" and started a night of cake and ice cream and talking. It turned out great. And by the way, Nate decorated the cakes and the house. He did such a fabulous job serving everyone and making the whole night happen.

Patience is a Virtue

I've always considered myself a fairly patient person. (I don't want to hear any comments from those of you that have witnessed otherwise). At least, I don't have a raging temper or anything. But these last few days it seems like Jansen has risen to new heights of toddlerness and I think I am going to lose my mind. I've felt like that little saying "I have one nerve left and you're getting on it." More than any other time I can remember, I am finding myself taking deep breaths, praying, grabbing a piece of chocolate and running upstairs to hide, stopping to gather myself, talking very slowly to Jansen so as not to lose it, etc. He's not even doing anything THAT bad either. Just the typical toddler stuff: whining, crying, asking for lots of things, pulling on pants, being mean to little sister, indecisive, doesn't want to eat, etc. But man that stuff can wear on you! I think one thing I really struggle with is knowing what tone of voice to use with him. At what point do getting my point across and patience and kindness meet? But I do have to admit that there is something rewarding about feeling yourself getting really upset and then containing it and calming it. It's hard! He's certainly teaching me a lot, and I guess that's the goal. I have a feeling there are many years to come that will be filled with the chant, "Just be patient. Just be patient." Hopefully I will be.

Book Tag

My friend Ellie tagged me!
The rules...
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the fifth sentence on your blog.
5. Tag 5 people.

The book closest to me was "The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness." The fifth sentence on page 123 is "What?" Michaela would say.

I wish it had been something more interesting, but I can't change the rules!

I tag: Angie, Kiki, Janel, Cara U., and Julie!

More of Nothing in Particular

In honor of St. Patrick's Day...Natalie had sweet peas for lunch. That's about as far as I got in regards to celebrating. It just kind of snuck up this year. Therefore, I am very grateful to the funny little man all dressed in green who crossed my path coming out of Wal-Mart today. He added some Irish cheer to my day.

Some pictures of Natalie after church yesterday.

A Rather Facetious Post

When I took this picture I had no idea what I had just caught on camera...and I love it. Oh the talent that is running through this family. 6 months old and already able to stick her pacifier up her nostril. And what a treat when she puts it back in her mouth!

This is my son Jansen. I'm not sure if I've ever posted a picture of him before. If not, here he is. (So that was a joke. My mom thinks he is the most photographed kid in America and that is probably why he will not cooperate when we go to get professional portraits. Just sick and tired of it all I'm sure!)

And I don't know what the monkey did wrong, but it must have been pretty bad because Jansen says he is in TIMEOUT. I am now noticing what a lovely feature that 10 feet tall plunger is in our bathroom. I just want it to be available so that guests can just use it instead of asking the mortifying question, "Do you have a plunger?" I think it's pretty thoughtful of me.

And this airplane was worth every penny of the $2.97 we spent on it.

The Parable of the Ants That Have No Self Control

When I discovered these little ants hopelessly stuck inside the lid to our maple syrup (the lid wasn't on the syrup, it was in the sink) I knew there had to be some amazing parable waiting to be told. Surely they had come across something so mouthwatering and delectable they were unable to stop themselves from proceeding further into the sticky goodness. Oh how they must have enjoyed the journey that took them right into the middle of the heavenly syrup. And I'm also sure they licked it up as rapidly as their little ant mouths could. And then they found their gluttonous little bodies trapped in the very thing that had been so tempting and delicious for a moment.

The analogy? Me and cake, ice cream, brownies, candy, cookies, etc. Especially at lunch time. That is when I am at the peak of my hunger and instead of taking a moment and fixing a real lunch, I get impatient with my hunger pangs and stuff myself with these goodies because it tastes SO WONDERFUL, especially when you are hungry. But then my appetite is ruined, I feel cruddy the rest of the day, and I have just consumed more calories than I was supposed to all week. Oh little ants, how I understand.

I'm sure there's a much better, more spiritual analogy here as well. I just don't feel qualified to write it. Maybe some day!

Jansen loves "holging" (holding) these flowers. He will beg and beg to just hold them, and each time I hesitate and want to say no, but then I think, why not? It brings him so much joy. They must seem so big to him.

I love Jansen's smile in this picture.

He may not look as happy in this one, but we had just finished having lunch together while Natalie napped and it was so much fun for some reason. Just sitting there, eating our scrambled eggs and sipping our chocolate milk. Life is good.

Natalie seems to have this look on her face in most of the pictures I take of her. Her hair is growing fast and likes to stick up...just like mine did.

And here is our expert and amateur birders. Jansen has his own pair of binoculars. He's not really that into birds yet, but there's plenty of time for Nate to correct that. These two were outside for a walk today and an airplane flew over. Jansen pointed at the exhaust from the plane and said, "Oh look, it's making train tracks up there!"