New Year

I wanted to change my blog. Something new, bright and cheerful that exudes the same enthusiasm I have for this upcoming year, but as always happens when I have something specific in mind, I came up with nothing. I could have my brother, who thinks he is some kind of up-and-coming world class designer, come up with something, but that would cost me a lot of money. He's my business partner and I don't think he would even cut me a break. Ouch.

2009 should have been a very difficult year. The BK was laid off back in March - and we undertook a lot of crazy, should-have-been-stressful endeavors like having a baby without pain meds, packing up a month later and moving to Utah to live at my parents' house, and hanging out with my friends' parents for a good 6 months. Don't forget an inordinate amount of nightmarish road trips. All-in-all, however, this year hasn't been that tough. I've definitely had worse. And all I am left with thinking is that I am incredibly blessed. I have a fabulous, feisty and forgiving family. I have generally great health minus a few unwanted pounds. I have shockingly happy children who don't seem affected by my moodiness or tendency to raise my voice. My husband never stops working - even when he is out of work, and he hasn't stopped loving me yet.

I suppose it would have been rational to wish for things I didn't have last year like money or my house or half of my winter clothes that are still in storage, but every time I thought those things, there was always a loud voice shouting in the back of my mind, "WAKE UP STUPID, MOST PEOPLE WOULD LOVE THE FREE TIME, THE FAMILY TIME, AND THE VACATION TIME YOU HAVE." It's true, so I would take an aspirin and get on with my fabulous life.

Well, as always happens, seasons pass. The BK found a job. Provided that all things work out over the next couple of months, we will be moving to San Antonio, TX, baby! I am ecstatic. I love a new adventure, and I will be shocked if any season of my life lasts longer than a year or two. We hear good things about San Antonio, and I have always liked thinking that somewhere inside me is a cowgirl waiting to escape to someplace wide open, ridiculously into all things enormous, and just waiting for me and my horses to trample a path into fame. Huh? I don't even know what that means.

Anyway, I have high hopes for this year. It's the year of the Tiger. It's a New Year, and my only resolution that you need to know about is that I plan to take more pictures of the TP. Poor thing, we broke our old camera not long after we had her, so I need to make her feel like she existed when and if she ever reads these memoirs. I love you baby girl.

Here we come 2010. Hope you're ready. Happy New Year y'all!!!

Oh boy....

Grandma, can I touch your nipple?

Uh, you mean my mole?

On the other hand, he was quite clear when he explained that a safari was when you went hunting for animals. Go figure. Clearly less Diego and more anatomy lessons are in order.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Checker

So Utah now requires you to carry snow chains or you can eat a fat fine. The BK quickly responded by taking the LG to Checker Auto Parts to pick some up. In his haste, the BK forgot that the LG is currently in potty training mode and was only wearing underwear. Upon entering the store, the BK headed to the customer service desk where he was greeted by a friendly clerk who started assisting him. That is, until the phone rang. The clerk then proceeded to carry on a very lengthy conversation assisting the customer on the phone leaving the BK and LG waiting in annoyance. As the BK was growing more and more irritated with the clerk's failure to comply with the "number one rule in customer service" (the BK claims that everyone knows you should help people in ORDER!), the BK looked down to see that the LG was also incapable of waiting anymore. The BK decided that was enough. Picked up the LG and walked out of the store, leaving the clerk to "assist" them at his leisure. I would be more upset at the lessons this taught the LG, if I could stop laughing. Even Grandpa thinks it was an appropriate response. Can't argue with Grandpa.

3 Years

The LG had his 3rd birthday earlier this week. His little Curious George party went quite well if you are willing to give a 3 year old a free pass on participating in the games on his own birthday. While Grandma entertained the guests with jungle hunting games, the LG snuck around the outskirts of the room watching and commenting from time to time that he didn't feel very well. He seemed to snap out of it though once the pinata came out. Always a hit with the little ones.






I found the pinata whacking hysterical becuase it provided a keen insight into the variety in childrens' personalities - the tickler, the brute, the perfectionist, the fun-loving life of the party, the princess, the strongly-determined and the wallflower.

The LG is a pretty good cross between fun-loving and brute. He is a compact ball of energy. It was suggested that if we could somehow plug him into the grid, we could have our own energy source. True. How true. He is also kind, funny, curious, intelligent, handsome, sneaky, and good-natured. He is a handful, but there isn't anything I would rather have my hands full of. I'm pretty lucky to be his mom. I love you LG.

It Came to Pass...

I just tucked the LG in after a hysterical evening of scripture reading. When given the choice of going to bed or reading scripture, he makes the right choice every time ; ) Tonight, as I started reading, he took the book from my hand stating that he needed to, "see what came to pass". Here are a few of those things:

- "And it came to pass that Nephi was angry"

- "And it came to pass that the angel was going to bite him"

- "And it came to pass that the grass was going to be scratchy"

- "And it came to pass that Nephi was dangerous"

Goodnight LG. You crack me up.

Welcome Home Grandma & Grandpa!!!

Be Sure to Check Your Smoke Alarms

I am kind of a Halloween scrooge. It is about as much as I can do every year just to get my kids in a costume. It's just not my thing. However, this year I must say that I was inspired and excited to create a costume for the LG out of duct tape. Oh yes, my friends, my father would be proud. The LG was a fireman (this costume also required a quick stop by the local firehouse which is always a treat, ahhh firemen - I don't have to say fire people in this instance because it is not the female variety that makes me say ahhh). Coat is made out of duct tape, electricians tape and a garbage bag. It is pretty sweet if I do say so myself. And I do. The TP was an adorable, store-bought, hand-me-down flower.

Sorry for the quality of the pics but our real camera is on the outs thanks to a run-in with my foot, the ground and a toddler. I suppose I should be grateful that telephones now profess to take pictures. As you can see from the quality of the pics, however, I am pretty skeptical.

Also, you may notice that one of our pumpkins looks like a butt crack. Unintentional art is sometime the very best kind of art. Then again, the LG may have fully intended this result when he tossed the pumpkin out of the car onto the cement.