Living the dream...

mlkj day

2012-01-17T21:47:00.003-05:00

After a nice swim, we hung out at home yesterday.

It was freeezing.

We worked on odds projects - It was really nice.

At one point, I found Sutton sitting like this in her room making up a song.

If only you could hear the words to her song.

In a sweet bird-chirpy voice she melodically requests her brother to

get outa here and go away la la la di la.

nooky

2012-01-17T21:16:00.005-05:00

Why wear one pair when you can wear six pairs of underwear?

Since Luke has given up his afternoon nap and Sutton has embraced hers again, this little man and I get to spend one-on-one time together every day. The day I took this pic we had just finished doing the laundry and he couldn't wait to put on all his clean underwear.

Luke is a feisty boy these days stuck between being big and being little.

He wants to be 5 years old like the big boys he adores, which usually results in the boys running away from him and L doing whatever necessary to get them to include him.

However, let him play with the big boys minus Jack and all goes swimmingly well.

Sometimes separating J&L really allows Luke to have some quality (read: no time outs) spotlight time.

Oy Vey! Brothers!

Yesterday he dumped out Jack's collection jars on his bedroom rug. It was a pile of rocks, acorn, sticks, leaves, hotwheel car wheels, silly bands, popsicle sticks and sea shells.

Most of it went in the garbage. He gravitates toward creating yucky messes.

What surprises me about is Luke did it again this afternoon with what was left?!

There seems to be no consequence/punishment that deters him?

And he comes and confesses so willingly that it is hard to be angry.

He is a ball of passion - cuddles and giggles one second, and covered in ketchup, sand and hand lotion* the next.

*He hasn't tried that combination next, but I wouldn't put it past him.

62

2012-01-08T22:15:00.001-05:00

It was 62 degrees on Saturday!

It was wonderful.

We climbed the big rock at Heckscher in CP.

pic of the day

2012-01-02T22:31:00.003-05:00

This is where they snack. Note its not on the rug...

New Year's Day

2012-01-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

2012

Day 1

9am church is back!

Gave a talk in Sacrament.

Hope this means I get another 4 year break.

My babies are sunbeams.

Forget what I said about no more phone pics.

Luke is the second from the door and Sutton is in the multi-colored red dress.

When I asked Luke for a kiss he said no way, but sweet little Charlie next to him gave me one.

But, the absolute best part of Jan. 1st was orchestra tickets to see her!

And by her I mean Sutton Foster.

I kinda sorta adore her, but you already knew that, huh?

What an amazing show!

If you are planning to come to NYC you must go see Anything Goes!

Here is a little taste of what I am talking about.

pics of the day

2011-12-22T22:00:00.002-05:00

L&S and J eagerly awaiting the arrival of 4 cousins today.

The anticipation was immense!

We had an impromptu photo session.

So perfect. Some one looks very guilty...

Love the crossed legs.

Santa

2011-12-17T22:52:00.000-05:00

One the way to Santaland.

jack and caleb forever

2011-12-12T00:03:00.002-05:00

Jack l.o.v.e.s. Caleb.

No joke.

He wants another sibling something fierce.

Until then, he is deeply admired by many baby friends.

These two continue to have a sweet bond.

He told me this morning he wanted Santa to bring a baby to our home.

Oh man.

And that was after he asked how to make babies on the way to school Friday morning.

He is determined and ready to take matters in to his own hands.

Does he know something I don't?

train joy

2011-12-11T23:58:00.003-05:00

we went to the holiday train show in grand central.

luke was enthralled.

more santa

2011-12-11T23:50:00.005-05:00

luke would follow elliot everywhere if he could.

toe-tapping with excitement.

getting right to business.

santa

2011-12-11T23:38:00.004-05:00

i was worried the kids wouldn't cry this year when they saw Santa. are they already so jaded and cynical? luckily Sutton delivered the pics i was hoping for.

Pure misery.

Eye say it all.

love the body language.

uh oh, she is coming around thanks to the candy cane.

oh man, it's over. she's digging it.

spidey

2011-12-11T23:29:00.003-05:00

meet spidey.

no one on the sidewalk saturday morning stood a chance.

whole neighborhood is covered in webs.

thanks for keeping us safe, spiderman.

i wonder if he'll ever outgrow that coat. this will be his 3rd winter in that thing.

bday

2011-12-11T23:03:00.007-05:00

so, i had a birthday

and it was great fun

thanks to my mr. r,

my kiddos and girlfriends!

(excuse the horrid phone pics)

sutton's face expresses my inner birthday joy.

the week before we explored the christmas market, which i really enjoy. here's a little glimpse. for three little inexplicable reasons, we haven't gone that much recently.

and, i saw billy elliot.

this is our billy. he is 11 yrs old., and just brilliant.

he also happens to be a good friend's son!

we got a little backstage tour. helps to "know a guy" in this town.

here he is with an adoring fan.

good times.

color

2011-11-29T22:31:00.014-05:00

Can I be grateful for color today?

Amidst all the black clothes, my color radar is set on high!

top: here, here, here and here, bottom: here, here, here and here

P.S. Have you heard of C Wonder?

Get excited - it's awesome.

Think Kate Spade meets Tory Burch meets all for under $100.

I saw it with my own eyes and it was very very good!

Come visit and we'll go together.

Online shopping coming soon.

errands

2011-11-26T21:43:00.000-05:00

saturday errands in pictures.

today, i am grateful for

1. kiddos who walk and entertain themselves while we wait in a frame shop,

2. happy eaters, especially when more food is in their mouth than anywhere else,

3. a big happy smile, and he chose to sit alone at a different table?,

4. mr. stamina looked at the camera! hi-ya!,

5. one little ray of sunshine who adores chocolate milk,

6. mr. muscles, who carried home our christmas tree one-handed,

and you can tell he enjoyed it!

follow that tree!

sound asleep by the elevators. amazing.

yawn

2011-11-23T21:07:00.003-05:00

We have a big problem, and no workable solution in slight.

Two 3 year olds we are refusing to nap and sleep.

It's a battle challenging my mominess like nothing so far. At this point, I am losing.

I can't begin to tell you how a month of this is taking on our little home.

Can I blame everything on this? Ok, thanks.

I need to dig deep into my dark circled eyes to think of few things I am grateful for what with Thanksgiving tomorrow.

Here goes.

- So happy the grocery opens at 6am. I was there after the gym, a steady mess of folks already there before 8am, and picked up the rest of our last minutes ingredients.

- Grateful to know that so much of what I want to get down mustn't get done now i.e. the laundry.

- Christmas tree stand are beginning to dot the sidewalks. Crossing my fingers we have luck negotiating on Saturday. Love to put our tree up early and enjoy it as long as possible.

- The Thanksgiving parade is tomorrow morning! So fun and really convenient. Again, fingers crossed we get out the door and find a spot. Thankfully it's only a 3-minute walk.

- Forgiveness and hope. I will be asking for forgiveness tonight for all the harsh words spoken in trying to coax sleep or nap from the twins and hope that my creativity and patience will win out and we'll all be sleeping steadily again soon.

Well, that wasn't so hard.

And, now I am going to bed.

circus

2011-11-18T22:26:00.005-05:00

Got a little catching up to do. Haven't been on top of everything the last week or so. But, I can say I've been bursting with gratitude, so watch me catch-up in a snap... over the weekend.

Here is what made my day:

1. Field trip to the Big Apple Circus with Jack's class - the twins and I tagged along. Not only did we just pay for Jack - thanks, school discount, but also the twins got their own seats. I expected to have both in my lap. To top if off, the kids behaved so well.

How great are these phone pics?

2. After the circus, we walked home and did nothing else because I did it again. "It" being the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn Part I. I can't stop now. Got to see them all. Always fun to hang out in the theater for 3 hours with an awesome bunch of friends. Yes, I am grateful that. And the show did not disappoint. Poor Jasper - his only line all move was "possibly!" How much was he paid for that?

3. Something about being more tired than usual helped me remain uncharacteristically calm all day and as a result, I hope, the children seemed calmer than usual, or I was just too tired to lay down the law, but it made for a calm and pleasant end of day compared to recent weeks. Here's to 3 hours of sleep more often!

4. Babysitting swaps are great when we plan ahead! Tonight we swapped and our friends D&E took a few family names to the Temple and did some sealings, while Mr. R bbsat their kids. How awesome was that? Super awesome for me.

5. I am so excited for next week. A slow week is just what we need, and, I noticed all the Christmas tree stands setting up this week. Next weekend we put up the tree!

concert

2011-11-12T22:11:00.003-05:00

Host of concert in my living room? Of course.

That's what Natalie would do every night if she could.

Everyone should have a little bit of Natalie in their life.

And a Mindy Gledhill concert too boot.

All that I am grateful for today.

Please do it again Natalie!

boy blue

2011-11-11T22:25:00.002-05:00

What I am grateful for today.

When I said paint with your fingers

he thought I meant paint his body and then flex for the camera.

Best part of this pic - no more diapers!

Luke is quiet brilliant!

sneakpeek

2011-11-08T20:53:00.004-05:00

Just got the pics back from our family photo shoot.

A few I just really really like.

This one sort of says it all.

This picture startles me.

Is it a little strange to see a picture of ourselves?

Who is that girl? Oh, it's me.

And where did all that hair come from. My mom would be proud.

You gotta wait for the Christmas card to see the money shot.

Got to decide which one that is still.

luke-isms

2011-11-08T20:39:00.002-05:00

Tonight after Luke finally settled into his bed for the fourth or fifth time,

he said,

"Do you know who I love Mama?"

"Who?" I said

just a little exasperated at this bedtime shenanigans...

"Well, I love Sutton and I love Jack and I love you!"

And then I melted.

"I love you too!" I said.

And then he went on to name all the buddies he likes to play with, Ay-it (Elliot), Dawin (Dallin), Hutsin (Hudson), Soya (Sawyer), Yili (Lily).... and on and on

and somewhere in there I slid back out the bedroom door.

double decker

2011-11-07T22:11:00.004-05:00

Our last full day with Mimi and Papa.

We did some touristing.

I am grateful:

1) for the ladies who got off the double decker bus and let us have the front seat on top.

2. for the nap that quickly occurred not long after this photo was taken.

3. for a fun and close to melt-down visit to FAO Schwartz.

We needed to play the big piano and look out the window at Madison Ave.

4. for a new dinner discovery - the Plaza Food Hall

5. to be caught up on blogging for the day.

cold comfort farm

2011-11-06T21:47:00.000-05:00

We escaped last night to Chappaqua, NY after the kiddos were in bed. Aunt K not only let us take her car, but also stayed with the kiddos as well. Papa and Mimi were nearby, but not close enough to help with Luke's 6am good morning hello.

Mr. R managed to convince me to stay the night at Crabtree's Kittle House.

After the day's festivities, I just wanted my own bed.

The Inn is a 200 yr. old barn that has been reinvented many times and is now a restaurant and inn. I have no idea how he finds these places, but it was well worth dragging my tired body into the car for the drive.

Today I am immensely grateful for:

1. sleeping in and nyquil.

2. heated seats. so perfect.

3. time to talk uninterrupted.

we can't figure out where in the world to raise our little brood? any ideas?

4. a quiet and quick drive home

5. seeing the welcoming arms and bright silly faces of our little ones when they got home from church. They look so good after a good nights' sleep.

This little gem was for sale across from the Inn.

Who's moving to Chappaqua with me?

fiesta de caos

2011-11-05T20:54:00.000-04:00

Today I am grateful for a fantastic birthday party!

and night away with Mr. R.

The ball pit was awesome.

Hokey pokey on the roof.

Red light green light.

Love from Papa.

A perfect day!

Play hide and seek.

Searching...

Having a good time.

Hide and seek turned into sardines pretty fast.

Help from Papa.

The master helper extraodinaire!

He was a wonderful influence on the little ones.

Seems like it was a success almost?

And then, Mr. R and I ended the day upstate here.

hookie

2011-11-04T20:43:00.001-04:00

I want to live near family. Period.

To see and enjoy family any day would be delightful.

We need their love.

Today was errand-ful.

So thankful for

1. the dentist,

2. (in)convenient shopping, couldn't find dry ice or basic birthday balloons anywhere,

3. shoe repair shop - got to winterize the boots,

4. and letting Jack say home to get loved-up. Shouldn't love that as much as I do.,

and

5. decorating the shack for a gaggle of three year olds tomorrow. Yikes.

en rout

2011-11-03T20:30:00.001-04:00

The countdown is on to Papa and Mimi's arrival!

We are working to get it all done so we can play and get loved up up up.

Today, I am grateful for the essential basics:

1. clean, folded and put away laundry,

2. vacuum cleaner. I sing thy mighty praises,

3. productive morning and mostly on-time - J to pre-k, S to preschool and L to gymnastics - check, check and check,

4. a planned dinner, which should happen more often

and

5. a new addition to our stroller (welcome gluxe) family thanks to effective team work.

the birthday toyapalooza continues...

newborn yumminess

2011-11-02T22:30:00.000-04:00

Today we are in a busy ramp-up mode to Papa and Mimi's arrival and the twinners' birthday party this weekend, with that, today I am very thankful for -

1.meeting little Declan and taking his tired parents some dinner. Oh to have a newborn - sounds so serene. Happened to be a better dinner than we enjoyed...,

2. ballet class. Wednesday is the best day of the week! Wednesdays mean a slow morning and super fun class for both L&S. The sun was bright and sunny and we didn't rush home. Without an afternoon nap looming, we could linger. Even better we got a discount for winter classes!

3. eBay. Having a good week cleaning out the closets this week! Woo hoo!

4. Kelly B. We have an early morning gym date 2x/week. I bore her almost to tears with my puniness and she mocks my pain, no joke, but that is what it is going to take to be strong again.

5. our move-in to-do list. We are so close to finishing our to-do list. Visiting family is great motivation to paint and hang shelves, right?

Practicing snow angels while waiting for the elevator.

S & L

2011-11-02T22:19:00.002-04:00

Poached these from E's blog.

I just love these two little girls.

1

2011-11-01T22:28:00.000-04:00

Today was a little hard because L&S are trying to quit there afternoon nap, but they still need it so badly. The day ended with a hard thud. With that in mind, today I am grateful for,

1. bedtime

2. the Holy Ghost. No joke. I needed someone covering my back and today he was there.

3. carpool, or stroller pool

4. a community of friends that really make my life so doable

5. Mr. R. He came home and put the house back to together while I was still comatose on the couch or computer, I can't remember which, and also put whoever had snuck out of their bed kindly back in since I had begun to ignore said little person. Sigh.

Gratitude month is upon us

2011-11-01T22:23:00.002-04:00

November is here!

I have been looking forward to November, because a) October was way too hectic and really needed to end and b) I have a little tradition I look forward to (started by ABR) of posting something everyday that I am grateful for.

Yes, it is corny, but it is super effective in shooting down those poisonous A.N.T.s

or Automatic Negative Thoughts.

So, for one month each year, I post a lot and it helps to prepare my brain for the best time of the year. Seriously.

This year I promise to not complain about NYC or small apartments too much, but I might renege at any moment depending on the day. So there.

Anyone want to join in this year?

twick or tweet

2011-10-31T22:47:00.003-04:00

West 69th Street

The place to go on Halloween

first snow... uh oh.

2011-10-29T22:59:00.001-04:00

Snow in October?

This can't be good.

lake winni = mom power

2011-10-26T23:31:00.000-04:00

Speaking of color, last weekend was a very special getaway for me and a very good friend.

We drove to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire for a Power of Moms retreat.

One word. Amazing.

Have you heard about this group? They do good. Good for mothers and families. I am hooked.

How awesome was it get away from it all and be able to discuss a wide-variety of motherhood topics without any distractions? No children? No house? No errands? And be in New Hampshire in October on Lake Winni?

I had such a lovely time with my friend and the women I met. I came away with so many nuggets of suggestions and wisdom that I was very eager to drive 6 hours home to NYC. I haven't had a more rejuvenating and inspiring experience since becoming a mother.

Want to know exactly what I am talking about, then call me and we can talk. I am having a post-EFY week, where I just want to reread my notes, make action plans to tryout my knew knowledge and tips and generally keep the feeling alive and see a change in our home.

We are working on right now our family rules. I know my kids can do this and how cool is it to collaborate with them and make a plan together. It is going to take some time, but I am optimistic that we can have a more peaceful and happier home little by little.

For someone like me who is a little low on self-motivation this was very good. I needed some new ideas and perspectives on challenges in our little familydom. And for that alone, it was totally worth it.

Didn't hurt that we were hosted in this stunning home.

Ok, you get the idea.

I'm going again. Who's with me?

color

2011-10-26T22:42:00.001-04:00

Took this pic last week of the neighborhood.

The park is just barely starting to change.

Have to check back next week.

Love that smog on the horizon.

3rd bedroom

2011-10-26T22:20:00.003-04:00

Another peak into our new place.

And topic I haven't discussed in 3 minutes - how we live differently in the city.

(And I wonder where my son gets the idea of wanting a house and dog - can't be from me?)

How to make a 3rd bedroom NYC-rental style.

1. Decide you don't really need more living room space. 9x13 is a perfect master bedroom size. Call the temporary wall dudes.

2. Hang out with them all day trying to descreetly decipher what language they are speaking.

3. 8 hours later you will have this. Voila! And it is temporary!

Our little geisha-house shangri-la master off the living room.

Tah-Dah!

three

2011-10-26T20:42:00.009-04:00

Luke are Sutton are 3 today!

I had high hopes for the day and tried to make it fun, but let me tell you "someping", it was horrible.

In hindsight I made a huge mistake scheduling their well-child visit with the Pediatrician on their birthday. The booster shots went over terribly. Mr. R was sympathetic since he was laid low by booster shots this week also.

Those darn shots!

What was I thinking?

Essentially, they were hurting all day afterwards, didn't nap and either fought, wined or moped around attached to my body. I gave up around 3:30 and called to see when the cavalry was getting off work. I hate to do that, but I needed help, especially after Sutton's cake fell apart when I took it out of the pan (Hey, cake you will not make me cry, no way!)

But, by looking at the pics, I think we recovered well enough.

The nightly stall-fest-athon was a little shorter despite the copious amount of refined sugar pulsing through their little bodies.

I even tried to tell their birth story with a blanket in my shirt. I wanted to be silly and tell them how thrilled we were when they joined our awesome family (more on where these sentiments came from next) and how amazing it is to have a birthday, but labor and delivery reenactment is tricky to portray to any child. Another oops.

And the party is a week away. And I did happen to invite 13 kids.

Pray we have dry weather so I can move the whole thing to the roof or the park.

Back to the joyful duo when daddy got home and the party started.

They styled their cakes themselves.

Yummy. If you're dying for a slice, let me know and I'll fedex it tomorrow.

Jack was a brilliant older brother figuring out all the new-toy intricacies.

This boy has no use for utensils.

Here he is eating his birthday cake with a tortilla chip.

A little salty and sweet in each bite.

Dear sweet Luke & Sutton,

Someday you will read this post and I want to tell you one more ping.

We love you very very much!

How you keep us on our toes and bring such delight and marvel into our family. The moment you two arrived, we couldn't imagine life without you two in it. You are a special team meant to skip through life together, supporting each other, sharing inside laughs and creating as you go. Thank you for quick smiles, tight hugs and sparkles in your eyes. Thank you for coming to our family and for believing in us before we believed in ourselves. Though we fall into bed cross-eyed with exhaustion, he have pictures and scars to prove you are never far from our thoughts and can't wait to be there for you, guiding you and reveling in your experiences and loving you no matter what.

Pinky promise!

Love,

Mama and Daddy

P.S. stop growing up right now.

stallers

2011-10-26T20:37:00.005-04:00

Famous last words I hear every single afternoon and night...

"I wanna tell ya some ping!"

and

"Just one more that's all."

I am holding onto their naps by a pinky finger.

What will I do with no nappers?

harvest

2011-10-25T22:35:00.000-04:00

Meet Elliot. Our fourth child.

We love him so much.

He has a sister, and once she likes us, we'll take her too.

These two are tight.

I am so glad these two get to spend their days together.

I just like this picture of Elliot so much.

Luke loves Elliot too, but as you might perceive, Jack is not quite willing to share him yet.

They are all on top of a huge mound of hail bails with Mr. R.

We went apple picking at a farm in New Jersey. They were out of apples. No idea how that is possible. Never have high expectations for New Jersey like apples being on the apple trees in October.

We did take a tractor/hay bail ride. Yeah.

Love the scenery!

indian summer

2011-10-13T22:06:00.003-04:00

One more afternoon causing trouble before winter and school set in.

This looks like a cry-fest about to happen.

He was very wise to take his special stick and walk away.

Jack adores this little man whether Caleb likes it or not.

This is how the end of summer looked to me.

gotta dance

2011-10-07T11:55:00.003-04:00

When Sutton's dance class started back up last month I took Luke along to watch

- that last about 2 seconds.

He loves dance class!

the ramble

2011-10-02T20:44:00.011-04:00

While waiting for General Conference to start we headed over to The Ramble in Central Park to explore.

Why, yes that water is green.

It's been very rainy here lately maybe that has something, but not everything to do with its color.

You really can get lost in here.

Luke was set against sitting on the big rock.

Hey look, I am in a few number of a our pics.

A Rocky moment on top of a massive boulder. CP is full of beyond massive granite chunks.

Rambling...

I think I have a thing for gray hoodies?

We circled around to the Bethesda fountain and thankfully no one fell in.

And now we head home, but not without charming Mr. R for a ride home.

And this one tried too.

project

2011-10-02T17:24:00.009-04:00

We are still taming our new space.

So fun to rearrange and restyle our stuff.

So not fun to have a pile of random essentials that don't seem to fit

(Christmas tree stand you know who you are!).

One of the awesome bonuses to our new home is without a doubt the kids' space.

Let me share.

Here is their old room just before the move.

So sad.

First look at their new space.

Nothing too inspiring yet.

First, I slapped on a coat of Benjamin Moore's Gull Wing Gray.

I had immediate second thoughts it was too dark.

Jump to 2 weeks later and voila!

Does it even look like the same space?

They seem to like it so much that going to bed is an issue every afternoon and night, especially for this little fellow - who insisted in being part of the picture.

We still need to hang the drapes and tinker with the wall art

and, of course, dump out every toy every day until it feels just right.

flare-up

2011-09-20T23:00:00.003-04:00

Been light on posts lately 'cuz we moved apartments last week.

I know I know.

More city for a girl who wants to skedaddle to a home.

One word.

Compromise.

A little change makes for a huge improvement. It was just what I needed.

All the kiddos started preschool, of course each has a difference schedule.

L&S started dance and Luke started gymnastics.

We are over-booked for the fall.

To be honest, all I want to do is unpack and get settled,

but it ain't gonna happen as fast as I prefer.

Needless to say my OCD-like tendency are experiencing a flare-up.

There is still time for lots of levity, of course!

Thank to these three amazing friends,

I always had a hand to pack, paint and gripe, just a little bit,

ok, maybe a lot towards the end.

Thank you oh so very much!

lincoln city

2011-09-20T22:16:00.007-04:00

One last high five for an absolutely awesome summer.

We spent a week with my family on the Oregon Coast.

We headed straight to the beach the first evening to check it out.

The water was a hair above freezing.

All the fam at a light house eating lunch.

Pacific Coast Aquarium in Newport did not disappoint despite the looks on their faces.

Cousin love.

Devils Punch Bowl. Cool, huh?

She liked the beach.

Aunt I and Uncle J in the tub with all the kiddos.

Our kiddos L.O.V.E babies.

That's more like it.

Mr. R and my big bro talking careers. Love the beard!

Bonfire and s'mores on the beach. Sand tastes goood.

And peace out from Luke.

hurricane

2011-09-04T23:01:00.010-04:00

We took a little jaunt to Southern Utah just us to visit my dad and stepmama.

I can't remember a more peaceful place.

It was so quite and calm my ears rung.

We visited a fascinating dinosaur track museum.

We ravaged a local splash pad.

But, in all honestly, all the kiddos wanted was the backyard.

Where can I get one these?

This little man is a dog lover. He still talks about them.

I really can't wait to get back there.

We loved that backyard so much - little wiggle room, some heat, a hose and pool can't be beat. We don't ask for much.

city slickers

2011-09-04T22:09:00.005-04:00

Another day we took a chuck wagon ride in Heber.

Isn't this a stunning view?

This cowboy shared some fun stories while we rolled along.

The horses names were Pork and Beans - and they were HUGE.

We rolled up to this man, Sparky, who "made" our dinner.

He did some branding and we ooh'd and aah'd.

We tried playing horse shoes.

A bandito came to shake things up, but thankfully, the sheriff was close by.

We may not have a future as cowboys, but...

we definitely do as bug hunters.

doughnut

2011-09-04T21:28:00.007-04:00

Got to quick wrap up summer before our fall schedule gets underway.

We made it back to Doughnut Falls.

Saw some of this.

The trail was super lush.

The last bit of the trail is a little washed out.

He thought the water was a little cold. She was ready to par-tay.

He was all about exploring.

So smiley!

On the way down, he began to feel better.

Love that he didn't shave for 16 days. This was early on.

ten

2011-09-01T01:33:00.004-04:00

Today is our

10th

wedding anniversary

This is us just moments after getting engaged.

Mr. R's proposal is impossible to beat.

Wanna hear the story?

Back in the summer of 2001 we were scrambling to finish school and graduate from college.

We knew we were getting married, but Mr. R., in true Mr. R style, was taking a long time to propose. We had a wedding date and I already had a dress, but no ring. At one point, I received a card in the mail from my future mother-in-law reassuring me he would propose.

One morning in late June, he came to my apartment early and whisked me away to go hiking or something, I don't know what. What I didn't know was that while I was in another room, he and my sister packed a bag. I also didn't know that he had already spoken to my Dads and everyone was in on his plan but me.

Instead of hiking, we drove to the airport. He left me on the curb to wait while he parked the car. I was totally baffled, but not for long. We checked in for a flight to San Francisco. We had talked off-and-on about escaping to San Francisco for a weekend, and it just never happened.

We flew to San Francisco, where he had planned a wonderful weekend. The first day we explored downtown, the wharf, saw a show (The Vagina Monologues of all shows) and ate seafood.

Early the next morning, we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sauslito and went hiking. I had no idea where we were. I still remember how stupid I looked. My outfits were a horrible. We meandered the hills enjoying the view and the sun rising, when I noticed Mark acting really odd. He kept looking around, off the trail and all around. I thought he needed a restroom.

We finally found a nice spot to sit on hill with a view. After a few moments, he pulled out a poem he had written. In case you don't know, Mr. R has a B.A. in Comparative Literature. He speaks 4 languages and he can write some stunningly amazing poetry.

I was eating it all up and some time during the poem, I realized he might be proposing. Of course, I was hoping it would be during this amazing trip, but, he keeps me guessing and I had no idea.

After he finished reading the poem, he knelt down and asked me to marry him.

I thought my heart would burst.

I might have screamed yes!

His poem was so perfect for us, I asked him to read it again.

Is this moment really happening?

Was this amazing man really mine forever?

And just over two hectic exciting months later we married in Seattle.

This pic captures are feelings very well.

Just kidding.

Marrying Mr. R has changed my life and made my dream comes true.

That is no joke. Undoubtedly, the best person to ever happen to me.

I still ask myself, is he really mine forever?

Yes. Yes he is.

I am one super duper lucky lady. He is all that and so much more.

Now, I must go give him a big smooch.

Aren't we so adorable?

****

P.S. if you read this blog long enough, you might see all of our wedding photos. Bonus.

You can see more anniversaries here, here and here.

airborne

2011-08-21T22:45:00.006-04:00

We were introduced to Airborne Trampoline Arena.

A few blurry pics get the point across.

marathon day

2011-08-21T22:35:00.000-04:00

We hit the ground running with Mr. R's family reunion.

The following all occurred in one day.

First up. Kennecott Copper Mine.

Check out the monster hole in the mountain.

I sure love the friendship these two have.

She taught Jack his new favorite phrase -

blah blah blah whatever!

Trying to explain what we are looking at.

Next, we hit up In N Out Burger.

Then a walk along the bench. Check out how tall that grass is.

I was sure snakes were lurking nearby.

Ahh! The rain started to chase us.

Sutton needed help walking back.

Then, on to Cowboy Grub.

And finally a Bee's game.

I was done at this point. The twins and I didn't make it. We went to bed.

Mr. R and Jack had a blast!

It was a very tearful moment the next morning when we washed off his face paint.

Luke-isms

2011-08-18T22:50:00.006-04:00

Mama: "Luke, please listen to me."

Luke: "I listen two times. I can't no mo'."

Loving up his new favorite dog, Buddy.

Self portrait.

Deer Valley

2011-08-18T22:35:00.013-04:00

Our first night in UT, Mimi and Papa took all the grandkids and let us escape to Deer Valley for a concert. We hadn't been to a concert there in almost 10 years. Holy Cow, we are old.

It was awesome! This is def on the list for next summer.

countdown

2011-08-18T22:28:00.003-04:00

Preschool prep is underway.

We started the day at Jack's favorite teeny tiny barber.

This kid loves getting his haircut.

Spent time researching backpacks while the twins napped.

And then ended the day properly at the doctor's office getting his lip glued back together after he and Sutton had a scooter collision.

Pic to come.

backyard basic

2011-08-18T21:57:00.007-04:00

Our awesome cousins in SLC have a perfect backyard and we spent a lot of time there.

Can you tell?

more please

2011-08-18T21:37:00.006-04:00

Look closely at this pic and count the kiddos.

The stroller is a double - that makes 6!

Yikes!

We borrowed my brother's three kids while they went to a wedding.

Six kids six years old and under turned out to be the required amount to get into Hogle Zoo that day.

You'd think we'd stand out with this crew.

Not true.

church news

2011-08-18T21:29:00.003-04:00

Did you see my boys in the church news?

Yep, we serve, even during crazy heat waves.

Strengthening communities through service

By Marcia Nelson

Church News contributor

Published: Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011

Print | Email | Share

Even a blistering heat wave couldn't stop 2,500 Latter-day Saints from turning out for a Church-sponsored day of service on July 23.

Members of thirteen stakes and districts in the New York metro tri-state area heeded President Eyring's call to serve at general conference by turning out in 100 degree weather to perform community service at approximately 50 different locations in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.

Photo courtesy Marcia Nelson

Jose Molina, right, President of the Patterson District in New Jersey, presents a Mormon Helping Hands T-shirt to Alex Blanco, Mayor of Passaic.

Wearing yellow vests and armed with power tools, paint brushes, sheet music, ukuleles, and lots and lots of water, volunteers built wheelchair ramps, sang at nursing homes, prepared hygiene kits, harvested corn and picked up trash.

Photo courtesy Marcia Nelson

Volunteers smile despite the heat as they clean up their local streets.

"I wish I had taken a camera," said Elder Jeffery E. Olson, Area Seventy, "so I could have recorded the gratitude of the director of a community childcare center in East New York, the refreshed spirits of a beleaguered mayor in Passaic, the incredulity of the director of a community center in one of the toughest and poorest neighborhoods in the Bronx, the smile on a home owner whose biggest housing problems have been repaired. I would also have recorded the satisfaction on the faces of the members. It is hard to have a bad service project, even during a heat wave."

Photo courtesy Marcia Nelson

Jack, left, and Luke Rasmussen, brought home "treasures" for their mom after picking up trash along the Hudson River.

Some non-LDS volunteers showed up at Liberty State Park in NJ to provide service through another organization, but when they couldn't find their own project, they joined Church members.

"We mulched every tree in the park," says Brad Thatcher, 1st Counselor in the Caldwell New Jersey Stake Presidency. "The park has never had so many volunteers at one time and Friends of Liberty State Park were very happy and hope we will keep them in mind for future service projects."

Another group took a carnival theme to a local assisted living group home where they played games and enjoyed a barbecue.

Photo courtesy Marcia Nelson

Scott Johnson, left, Bishop of the Freehold New Jersey Ward, plays his ukulele and leads the singing for volunteers and residents at Hamilton House run by Enable, Inc.

"Our lives were enriched by these wonderful people," says Diane McCready, stake Relief Society president in East Brunswick, New Jersey. "What a great day – even the heat couldn't discourage us!"

Photo courtesy Marcia Nelson

Volunteers in the Bronx, NY, listen to a reading of Mayor Bloomberg's proclamation on the Day of Service.

In the Bronx, youth and leaders alike cleaned, painted and remodeled a local community center.

"I really can't tell you how amazing the day was for me and everyone here, and how truly impressed we were by all of you," said Adam Liebowitz, Director of Community Development at The Point CDC. "We have had many service days over the years and this was by far and away the most successful, productive and organized one we have ever witnessed."

Volunteers in Brooklyn, New York, distributed free lunches and participated in activities with residents of the Lutheran Augustana Center.

"We were excited to be involved in this day of serving, and look forward to being out in our communities, serving, lifting and getting to know others," said Jeff Nelson, Brooklyn New York stake president. "We are also striving to serve more often — making service a way of life."

Governor Malloy of Connecticut and Mayor Bloomberg of New York City issued proclamations congratulating Latter-day Saints on their Day of Service, and Governor Christie of New Jersey and Governor Cuomo of New York sent commendation letters.

"We are thankful to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for their service to others and invitation to all of the residents of all faiths and backgrounds to join with them as they celebrate their anniversary of service." reads one paragraph in a Governor Malloy's proclamation. The letters and proclamations were read during opening ceremonies at each site.

Would it ruin this article if I told you while the boys collected trash along the Hudson,

Sutton and I were shopping in New Jersey?

Someone has to keep this household running, right?

teardrop

2011-08-15T22:31:00.007-04:00

How cool is this playground?

We ventured back down to Battery Park City last month just to enjoy this little oasis.

Now that is a slide.

I love a cautious child.

Luke opted to throw berries down rather than ride after he watched

a few kids dump water down and rocket into the sand.

Sutton also opted for a spectator view from the sand below. Wise, very wise.

Of course, these two were not deterred at all.

Perfect summer shot!

These are his ninja moves in case you can't tell.

back

2011-08-15T22:12:00.007-04:00

We are home from the west.

And if you haven't been lately, it is a very very good place.

Coming from someone who not-so-secretly thinks her current home can resemble a sewer,

it was honestly just what our little family and I needed,

I mean, desperately had to have summer.

Oodles of free time together, lots of sun and even more extended family fun.

Yep, we did what some may call very risky -

back-to-back family reunions.

It was so awesome to see almost our entire families in 16 days.

Don't mind while I sift through all the photos and share the ones that are fun to look at.

Aren't we cute?

Could this be a Christmas photo?

Mr. R's crew

My crew

Get ready for a picture dump of us in rural and suburban settings.

A nice change from our usual programming, huh?

Colbert on Mormons

2011-08-15T21:41:00.003-04:00

Have you already seen this?

The Colbert Report

Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

heat wave

2011-07-26T22:44:00.002-04:00

Nothing says heatwave survival like a huge 1960s concrete fountain pond on the Hudson river.

Thanks to the breeze off the river and lovely shady trees, and, hello,

awesome friends

we made it through 4 miserably hot, humid days last weekend

City kids are lucky kids, huh?!

Just sayin'...

Sir Luke strikes a ninja pose.

I forget why Sutton chose the sand rake for the water.

Oh yeah, she was collecting leaves out of the water.

Why yes, that is an overturned trash can over the drain.

Don't want the kids to wash away.

Love what the weather did to J's hair.

Can you tell his is a little upset in this pic?

It's tough to share buckets and sidewalk chalk.

beachy

2011-07-26T22:35:00.002-04:00

July is for the beach with friends!

put-put

2011-07-14T22:15:00.006-04:00

Tried something new on the 4th.

First, we got out of the neighborhood.

Can I just tell you how excited I was!

(Mama's got the inner-city claustrophobia blues. Thanks heavens a vacation is in sight.)

Second, that something new was a playground.

Big surprise.

A new kind of merry-go-wrong, I mean, round.

Luke is a hands-free man.

After trampling all the babies on the splash pad, we tackled some put-put golf.

Mr. R tried hard to teach us proper putter grip.

By the 4th hole, he is already somewhere else.

Luke probably liked it the most.

Hard to tell how if Jack liked it.

One thing is for sure, we weren't leaving without finishing every hole.

Next to loose sight of the game is Sutton.

From here on out, she is climbing and sitting on everything,

not to mention trying to cut-ahead of players in front of us.

And 18 holes later, only 3 remain, well, only 2 really. The boys would have liked to play alone, but... Sutton and I found some Diet Coke and a shady spot.

We'll be back there real soon.

bikes

2011-07-14T21:23:00.004-04:00

We finally rented bikes and took the crew for a ride through Central Park.

We rode around the big loop and stopped here and there to play and switch spots.

It was a blast!

Didn't got a shot mid-ride. Wish I was that coordinated.

The trailer was the favorite 'cuz the snacks and drink were there.

Taking a break. Look, an algae-choked pond! Nice.

This little boy mesmerized J&L.

He was catching minnows. See 'em?

We spent a fair amount of time learning his techniques and counting minnows.

We gotta get bikes.

sigh

2011-07-14T13:14:00.002-04:00

Summer!

Drinking from the fountain - always brilliant!

a moment

2011-07-06T20:40:00.003-04:00

just between them and their books.

we are free

2011-07-04T22:44:00.009-04:00

We picnicked.

We ran around.

We rearranged rocks.

We stopped for the camera.

We didn't stop or smile for the camera.

We saw fighter jets and spread our wings.

We played "Ring Around the Lightpost".

We found favorite sticks.

We played soccer with beach balls and explored tall grass.

We loved up our best baby friends.

We rearranged more rocks.

We watched the water boats show-off their skills.

We saw the firework barges get in place.

We watched the water with anticipation.

We were giddy for fireworks.

We watched the sun show-off.

We oohed and aahed to the beautiful fireworks.

Happy 4th of July!

we have AWESOME friends

2011-07-03T23:42:00.003-04:00

playschool

2011-07-03T23:34:00.005-04:00

The twins finished playschool.

Yeah! We finally made it to X,Y and Z!

summer?

2011-07-03T22:51:00.007-04:00

So far so good.

dance and preschool

2011-06-30T22:06:00.010-04:00

Sutton had her last day of dance last week.

She has a real joy for dance.

We can't wait for class to begin in the fall!

We signed-up Mr. J for preschool for this fall.

I have big reservations about the program, but that would be the case no matter what.

Viv

2011-06-30T21:22:00.006-04:00

Cousin Viv came to play!

Cousins are so super duper awesome.

Aunt Marin and Uncle Jason weren't bad either.

wheels

2011-06-17T15:57:00.001-04:00

The scooter gang took over Central Park today.

sir luke

2011-06-16T22:23:00.007-04:00

He is such a joyful, little imp.

I love his subtle ways.

He doesn't crave the spotlight or talk your ear off.

He does his own thing in every way, and I hope he never changes.

Luke doesn't talk a whole lot.

He often just says "uh-huh" or "hmm" in a high voice for yes and a low voice for no.

That works for him most of the time.

He has taken to teasing his older brother frequently.

Always results in a screaming "Luuuuuuuke, nooooo" from said person.

Strips as often as he pleases.

It no longer surprises us to find him nude in bed sound asleep.

Benching Mr. R.

After stripping at the park, I was glad I happen to put underwear over his diaper earlier in the day. If the city wasn't soo dirty and if an older boy hadn't teased him for being naked, I would have let him stay that way, but alas, he played out the afternoon like this.

you know you

2011-06-11T00:14:00.002-04:00

have a city kid, when he asks to take the subway or a bus to the father son campout.

- - - - -

On another note:

We have new neighbors just for the summer.

Pray for me to have stamina and keep my cool.

They are the loudest, most obnoxious summer interns

and I want to scream at them to

please, oh please,

try to be more quiet in the middle of the night.

Problem is the summer just began,

and I don't want to be that kind of sad, matronly, neighbor hag/mom/dorm monitor that

no one wants to live next door to, not even me.

Oh man,

has this day honestly arrived?

dirt'll do just fine

2011-06-07T23:55:00.003-04:00

We were multi-tasking in the park tonight,

proof that our children are, well, brilliant.

While eating dinner with friends,

the kid fit in some immunity-building dirty digging.

That works, right?

pic of the day

2011-06-06T19:11:00.002-04:00

We went back to Victorian Gardens in Central Park.

So much fun for the kiddos!

sibs

2011-06-05T21:15:00.004-04:00

Sometimes the boys wrestle and fight and wrestle and cry and get time outs and then kick and then scream and then wrestle and then run away and then chase and then crash off the couch and then collapse screaming.

Sometimes I love it.

Sometimes I really really really don't love it.

And then I have to give pause and remember they are brothers forever and ever and ever and this is never going to stop. I then think of one of my big brother, just 23 months older. This is us last November at our little brother's pilot graduation.

I took a pic of him.

And wanting to record my own participating tried to take one of myself. ..

Bad angle, I know, but look at him.

Despite the bluriness, you get the idea.

Siblings.

The best gift my parents gave me, at least I think so.

on the bus

2011-06-05T21:02:00.004-04:00

One the bus to see the live butterfly exhibit at the AMNH.

pondering

2011-06-05T20:52:00.002-04:00

He likes the idea of the water, but not the water itself.

Wish I could hear his thoughts in this pic.

This is him being very very brave.

memorial day

2011-06-05T20:23:00.004-04:00

We explored Conservatory Garden in Central Park on Memorial Day weekend.

It was a hike to get there and, maybe you can tell, the heat has been turned on in the city.

It was a sticky day!

Why so many pics of these two? They like to pose for the camera.

The boys were delighted to have found one fish.

Don't get in their way. They'll hit you.

Seriously, a few members of this scooter gang can't stop.

oops

2011-06-05T19:59:00.004-04:00

Sometimes the weather is so nice you make plans to eat burgers down by the river with friends, and then you get a call from the Missionaries wondering what time you'd like them over for dinner and then you remember signing up to feed them and then your husband might say something like, "I don't mind that you signed up to feed them, but I do mind you forgot and then made other plans, and why do you do this almost everytime?"

While waiting for the food, one must take a moment to throw rocks in the river.

This reminds me of this pic from last summer.

Burgers down by the river with friends and the Elders is officially super awesome.

pic of the day

2011-06-01T00:03:00.001-04:00

the water is on!

2011-05-31T23:49:00.005-04:00

wound

2011-05-31T23:18:00.007-04:00

Check out the newest scar in our family.

We were at our local children's library, running through the stacks, of course (here is where I want to add that moments before the incident we were all reading quietly and that this library lets kiddos be a little rambunctious i.e. it's a children's library, and it was after a week of horrible torrential rain, read: stuck inside a lot - so cut me some major slack), when Jack slammed his head right into the corner of a metal shelf. Why is it always his head? Blood, blood and screaming everywhere, twins traumatized, me scooping up my little birdy boy and calming him down.

Thankfully, the library is next door to a firehouse. Hello firemen, not 1, but 4 burly dudes come waltzing in. If they didn't have the big band aids Jack would have told them off. Then come the EMTs and a library incident report... Then I called Mr. R to please come and save us.

I wasn't alone with the kiddos, but with two other simply amazing friends who scooped up the twins and also snapped these pics. You can't see me and Jack because we are kneeling in front of the stroller.

It wouldn't be right unless some random stranger came and gave me a unsolicited piece of their mind at this very anxious moment. In this case it was a nanny who in the midst of the blood and tears gets in my face to say that I wasn't watching my son, that he wasn't any where near me and that if I had been a caregiver I would be fired, but since I was just his mom that made me

a bad mom.

I agreed with her that she would be fired if it were her instead of me. But honestly, probably not. I fell down the stairs all the time as a kid. This is just part of the deal of being a kid! I really couldn't believe she felt the need to talk to me like that in the heat of the moment. Where's the love and comfort during a junky situation?

Mr. R finally arrived and rode in the ambulance with Jack to the E.R. and got burgers on the way home. Meanwhile, the twins are I splurged on happy meals and went home all the while talking about blood, fireman and where Jack went.

Know you know what that thing on his forehead is.

Now, let's talk about summer!

piggies

2011-05-17T21:17:00.006-04:00

Has the day really come?

Is her hair ready for pigtails?

First attempt.

Hate it.

Love it.

Not sure what is up with her hair.

Busy playing with my phone.

And, we're done.

And that lasted 30 seconds.

30 plus a little more

2011-05-15T23:09:00.003-04:00

They say it's your birthday!

Da nanananana.

Happy Birthday to ya!

Da nanananana

Mr. R got a little older today,

but I swear, he doesn't age.

Take this picture for example - this was taken in 1993.

It's one of his many super powers

and part of his amazing awesomeness.

We love you!

mama's day

2011-05-08T23:04:00.010-04:00

Lately, I've been thinking about tackling a big long-term goal such as going back to school or starting a business, but nothing feels right. I suppose I haven't discovered the right opportunity, or more likely, now is not the time. I've accomplished the things I desired most in my 20s and it seemed I should spend time thinking about my goals to pursue in my 30s, but many of the options don't seem reasonable, or more specifically, will take me away from my kiddos because, honestly, how could I possibly step away from them for a moment?

I am the mama.

And I love love LOVE being mama to my three babies.

There were so many days I wondered if my children would ever arrive,

and they eventually came in a whirlwind.

Here they are.

Jack Oscar at 9 months

Luke Henry at 10 months

Sutton Abby at 7 months

I fully understand the price of flesh and pure love and joy of motherhood.

I am blessed beyond measure to have this opportunity -

three little loans from heaven to guide, raise and protect through this earthly experience.

I love my life so very much and despite the constant worry, second-guessing and guilt,

I wouldn't wish one second away from these three little children.

They are beautiful, precious beyond measure and

mine all mine.

straight talk

2011-05-03T23:33:00.001-04:00

My children are articulate and honest.

For example.

I brought home from UT some kind of skin rash. It was on my face and I figured (hoped) it would go away once we got home. It didn't and it looked bad. After 2 weeks of waiting it out, I went to see the dermatologist, who vaguely diagnosed it as dermatitis aka bad acne and gave me a cortisone cream prescription (trying to get the cream fulfilled is another good story too). I used the stuff for 2 weeks and it went away, but sadly, came right back after I stopped using it.

So now I am beginning to wonder if I will ever stop using it.

The best part of the story is when Luke told me, while we were snuggling and having a sweet time reading books together that my, I quote, "face wasn't clean and you should wash it." I told him I had washed it. Then he said, "Oh, it broken?" Maybe, but I hope not.

Maybe I should go back to the doctor...

One more example for history.

Last night, Jack asked me what those things on my chest were. I said we call them breasts.

"No, not that. What are the center, middle parts called?"

"Oh, those are called nipples."

"No, Mama, they are called booooobies"

At this point he is rolling on the floor laughing...

"Where did you learn that word and why is it so funny?"

All of this reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend's husband last week about how he loves babies, but not what comes next as much. He said, "pretty soon your house is full of these big loud people" - to which I would add that have smelly feet and collect liter to store in jars and suddenly tell you to stop kissing them. I can see now that he might have a point.

My kiddos are still little for a few blinks more.

I'll take their brutally honest observations with yogurt dried on their faces a little longer.

One thing is for sure, we will have more closed doors in our home.

wheels

2011-05-01T20:39:00.005-04:00

We got ourselves a scooter gang.

Luke and Sutton Abby's scooters arrived this week.

This is something of a necessary step for city kiddos, or so it seems to be one.

Dare I say, everybody gets one around 2 years old? Yeah, well, they do.

They, the scooters and the twins, are pretty awesome stuff.

Aren't those helmets hilarious?

We were also at the playground at 9am this morning.

That never happens, and not on a Sunday,

but with 1pm church, it's nice to be out enjoying a beautiful morning.

Jack is a scooter expert and offered all kinds of advice on breaking and racing.

Weekends are for Daddy!

Daddy never loses his mystique and is always numero uno with his bunch.

They stopped scootering long enough to play "get-you" with Mr. R.

Bummer, I didn't catch a shot of Luke and Mr. R.

pic of the day

2011-04-30T22:16:00.006-04:00

How I pray these two always remain close friends.

And that they always wear coordinating jammies.

feeling much better

2011-04-30T22:03:00.004-04:00

And then we got better, the sun came out and all the beds were made with clean sheets again. And it kept getting better: we went outside to play in shorts even.

Brothers playing with brothers. Notice the varied use of sticks by all males.

easter

2011-04-30T21:37:00.004-04:00

Easter weekend wasn't what we expected thanks to a nasty stomach bug. We were so sick. Thankfully, Mr. R wasn't, so we were able to survive. We drowned our Easter expectations in ginger ale and saltine crackers and hung out on towels on the living room floor watching Tangled a few too many times. We'll try on the Easter outfits tomorrow.

This picture represents a big success - the puke bowl!

dance = soo happy

2011-04-30T21:04:00.005-04:00

Sutton Abby started her first dance class this week.

She turn 2 1/2 just one day before class started - the timing was perfect.

She couldn't have been smiling more beside sweet Lily.

today

2011-04-21T21:45:00.002-04:00

After getting dolled up with the help of big brother,

she announced that today she is a -

monkey ballerina kitty cat cupcake.

Top that!

pic of the day

2011-04-20T20:41:00.002-04:00

Miss Sutton Abby and Lily = BFF

snapshot

2011-04-15T22:59:00.005-04:00

What our week looked like:

This week had some highs and some very low lows.

Dear friends of ours lost their almost 2 yr old daughter to complications from pneumonia on Tuesday. It is heart wrenching! Their youngest, just 3 months old, was then hospitalized with bronchitis. Mr. R is jetting to the funeral tomorrow.
Dear friends of ours welcomed a brand new baby girl on Thursday. Welcome sweet Olive!

Two angels traded places this week.

Sutton Abby* broke out in another mysterious case of hives. Just as bad, but not for as long. There wasn't a mango in sight. She will soon be off to the allergist for testing. Thankfully, she didn't seem to uncomfortable.
Luke has officially refused to use utensils at meal time. Yogurt anyone?
Oh, and he gleefully told me he likes to drink paint water. You know the dish of water in which you wash your paintbrush. I hope those paints were non-toxic. Doubt it.
The sun came out for two whole days and we played all day long. Those two days they stated awake just long enough to eat and bath. Love those days when they play hard.
At play school this week L&SA learned about the letter L and the concept of 1/2.
Mr. R and I spoke in the Chinese branch at church. It was awesome and brought back sweet memories of translating church in Germany. The best was Jack asking in his most non-reverent voice during prayer, "What are they saying?" and "I need more snacks!" Gotta get that boy a passport or attend the Chinese branch more often.
Jack is learning baseball fundamentals at sports class and brought his buddy E to class. I only had to go in once to break up some overly eager wrestling. Our new motto is "hands off".
The StyleSpy posted again over at Shabby Apple.
And, I took my first street style shots - check out the blog next week. My confidence is growing!

*We are calling now calling Abby by her full name - Sutton Abby or Sutton Abigail. Yes, that is not the name on her birth certificate, but we are changing it legally. Essentially, we want to hear Sutton more and decided to change it. It is confusing, but that will pass soon. So, consider this an announcement. I had buyer remorse and wish we had done 2.5 year ago. Better late than never.

Spring!

SoCal - Day 4 (and final)

2011-04-15T22:44:00.005-04:00

Not many photos to share from our last day in California.

We drove with our friends from Santa Barbara back to Santa Monica

to meet up with more friends, of which I took no photos. Oops.

I do remember that record-setting tantrum Jack had because he wanted to eat inside and not outside (he thought is was too cold).

When the two of us finally left our friends and went inside to calm down,

I could swear someone on that patio was clapping.

me, Jill and Ruby

Jack stalking a lizard.

Looking at the pier.

Looking north - stunning day, huh!

Jack Oscar and Oscar James

(another example of what boys endure when their moms ((and dads)) have superb taste)

After we left our friends, we headed to South Coast Plaza to kill time before our flight out.

I really wanted to see this place and it didn't disappoint

(well, except that I was hoping it had a crewcuts and it didn't...).

We ended up throwing coins in all the fountains like we did at Fashion Island and riding on the carousel. And we're done.

jack-isms

2011-04-15T22:27:00.005-04:00

Jack and I talked about God a few times this week.

I appreciate it so much when he opens up

and allows me to see things from his perspective.

Earlier this week, when he was going to bed, he told me that he didn't want to kneel to pray, or pray at all, and that Heavenly Father and Jesus are scary. We talked about why we kneel and why we pray. He seemed to be listening.

Then he asked if people in heaven live in houses. I said, I think so. We often call them mansions and then I told him that mansions are usually big beautiful homes. He then decided he really wanted to go to heaven so he could live in a big house and have a dog and a cat. Our chat ended there.

A few nights later, at the same time of day, he told me, "Mama, when we go to see Jesus, I'll hold you're hand and you can talk to him. I don't want to talk to him or maybe I'll stay home with Daddy while you do talk to him."

I wish I could remember every word he said. Really I just listened to him.

It was a treat to just listen to him express himself see how abstract the concept of religion is.

I love these end of day moments when he verbalizes his thoughts

and he shares how we sees things.

It gives me a good idea on what we should talk about and further explain,

but also, I really desire to have a open communication with my children,

without judgment, or criticism

and just hear his heart.

***

On Monday, while playing with friends, he came up to me and said,

"I don't like my friends anymore because I think they don't like me."

I had never heard him say anything like this before.

After a few questions we got to the source of the problem.

"They don't want me to chase them with a stick and I really want to!"

He is passionate about sticks.

SoCal - Day 3

2011-04-05T21:09:00.007-04:00

OK, sick of the narrative yet?

Good.

The next day we headed out on our own up the coast to Santa Barbara.

We stopped at the Santa Monica pier, but nothing was open yet,

so we grabbed a bite, looked at the mini-Arlington Cementary on the beach and kept going north on the PCH.

(As I type this I can't help but feel cool to type "PCH" and "Santa Monica")

If you live near this view, or something similar, I hope you never ever take it for granted.

Jack and I were eating it up!

Here is a sweet memory from Malibu.

Jack had to use the bathroom. After waiting forever to make a left turn into a gas station, we found a cleanish restroom, but the toilet itself was too tall for Jack to stand up and pee. I had to hold him up so he could clear the top of the toilet. And then, as he finished, my beloved sunglasses slid off my head into the toilet. Nooooo!

Well, I washed and washed and washed those babies and put them back on. No judgin' please.

We finally made it to S.B. to these awesome friends!

We ditched the car and started walking to the harbor. Yeah! Walking!

On the way, we got a skewered mango from a lady in the park. Brilliant!

We go to meander through the spanish mission style architecture.

And finally on a boat to these bad boys.

Jack loves babies, and little Ruby, was right up his alley.

This little man melts my heart. He and Luke could be tight partners in crime or trains.

More awesome views this way.

And that way. I need no convincing to move here, in case there was any doubt in your mind.

Boys driving the boat.

And then on the walk home, we were so pooped, we stopped at this awesome playground to make sure the boys were ready to crash.

Ruby was the only one allowed to play with the lightsaber (r.i.p.).

Jack sneaking a kiss.

Did you see the blue, blue skies in every picture?

We are so lucky to have friends who live in such awesome places and don't mind if we come and crash on the couch. How I wish Mr. R was with me to see S.B. for himself. I think he is a little tired of hearing about it.

Maybe you can relate?

Just one more day to go.

snapshot

2011-04-01T21:44:00.007-04:00

What our week looked like

Abby broke out in a nasty case of hives. After seeing the Pediatrician, we think she is allergic to mangoes
Took my first tour of a preschool for Jack. My first look into a NYC public school.
Had a lots of play dates with friends - this dominates our day!
Twins attended playschool and learned about the letter J and the number 10.
Jack attended Sport Skills and worked on his cartwheels, batting and catching, and walking on the balance beam solo.
I sold 7 things on eBay!
Jack went to the Dentist and made me stay in the waiting room.
Started potty training Luke & Abby!
Jack and Luke saw the Barber for haircuts.
And it rained, rained, rained, and snowed a little today...

And now, we are ready for General Conference!