Last week we went to a tree lighting ceremony. My friend whose son I teach at Great Beginnings and I were talking about how 4 year olds are different than 3 year olds. Just as she said, "Four year olds do something wrong and you expect them to do it better; Three year olds do something wrong and you can just say, oh, you're still just 3", Ivy announced, "Mom! I just spilled all my yogurt in the wagon!"
All I could say was, "Good thing you're still three."
As part of a preschool excursion this week, we went to an art gallery. Ivy had to use the bathroom, which meant we had to pass a statue at the front of the gallery of a naked woman. After using the bathroom, Ivy announces in a loud, clear voice, "NOW WE GET TO GO BACK TO THE NAKED PERSON!"
Sometimes Ivy reminds us of Grandma Gunn, with certain expressions and such. I asked Ivy if she thinks she looks like Grandma Gunn, and she looked at her and said, "No, because I don't have a lot of lines on my face."
Friday, December 12, 2008
Grandma and Grandpa Gunn
My grandparents are both 87 years old, and I have the privilege of having them stay here with us before and after their interisland cruise. Here's from an email I sent to my mom about some of our adventures:
They arrived Monday night. They were HONORED that someone upgraded their tix to first class and they raved about the service they received. Then they LOVED the leis and were so touched that they were from everyone. Grandma is so funny--she wants to save them for when we go out somewhere nice, so in the meantime, they're aging in the fridge. Oh well.
They found out Tuesday the hard way that they needed the wheelchair, so it is a very good thing that they have it. We walked to the beach near our house, and I went back home ( a 3 minute walk) to care for Elysse and make some phone calls. I was about to go back to get them when I saw them coming. A kind woman who saw them at the beach was helping Grandpa walk. Apparently, when Grandpa tried to get up, his leg went numb and he struggled to walk home. The woman, Julie, saw them struggling on the shore and came out to help. I came with the wheelchair and helped him get home. But once we arrived at the apartment building, I couldn't get the wheelchair up the curb. A kind man came over to help, and Grandpa was excited to hear that he was a member of our same church.
They arrived Monday night. They were HONORED that someone upgraded their tix to first class and they raved about the service they received. Then they LOVED the leis and were so touched that they were from everyone. Grandma is so funny--she wants to save them for when we go out somewhere nice, so in the meantime, they're aging in the fridge. Oh well.
They found out Tuesday the hard way that they needed the wheelchair, so it is a very good thing that they have it. We walked to the beach near our house, and I went back home ( a 3 minute walk) to care for Elysse and make some phone calls. I was about to go back to get them when I saw them coming. A kind woman who saw them at the beach was helping Grandpa walk. Apparently, when Grandpa tried to get up, his leg went numb and he struggled to walk home. The woman, Julie, saw them struggling on the shore and came out to help. I came with the wheelchair and helped him get home. But once we arrived at the apartment building, I couldn't get the wheelchair up the curb. A kind man came over to help, and Grandpa was excited to hear that he was a member of our same church.
Later that day, Grandpa sat outside with one of the books he wrote in his hands while I helped Kezia ride her bike. Julie drove by asking how he was doing, and I told her he would like to say hi to her. The cool thing was, he told her earlier that he would like to give her a book, and it was just coincidence that they met again, and he had his book with him.
Wednesday morning I hosted an excursion with my preschool. A big storm was predicted beginning Wednesday night, so we decided that this was a good day to go outside. We attempted twice to go to the beach, but got chased back to the car by the wind and rain. We did manage to go see some resting sea turtles on the beach and surfers on sizable waves.
They joined me on part of the preschool excursion, where the children got to make their cookies n' cream ice cream (way cool).
That afternoon they watched the girls for a bit so I could catch some waves and that evening we went Christmas caroling with our ward. It was a lot of fun.
Well, before Grandma came out, her hairdresser told her she ought to cut her hair short because Hawaii is windy and rainy. I think she may have placed a curse on Hawaii because we are having quite a storm! It came Wednesday night, with sheets of rain and high winds for 8+hrs straight.
It was exciting to listen to, but I was mostly kept up by Elysse's crying. She got a fever during the night, and she and Ivy are both feverish and coughing, and Elysse has a runny nose: All the symptoms of a sickness that has been snaking its way around the North Shore lately, so apparently it's highly contagious, and we are crossing our fingers and toes that Grandma and Grandpa don't catch it, asking Grandma and Grandpa not to touch the sick girls, and chowing down Echinacea.
That morning, Thursday morning, I took Kezia to school. We drove along the road until we got to a place that was flooded; the river was overflowing. There was a van signaling us to pass him. I stopped by him and he said he has seen other cars go through, but he wasn't going to. Well, I thought, if a van isn't going to try, then I'm not! But just then a truck came to my other window and said to just stay in the middle and don't stop and I'll be fine, and that a lot of cars have gone through. So I thought, alright. But what I couldn't see was that the flood continued on around the bend. We passed a stranded car, and Kezia and I were cheering on the Isuzu as the water level was past our tires. At one point the car was going slowly and I was afraid it would give up on us, but we made it through...only to find that school was canceled. And by this point, the police had closed the road. The other road we could take back home was worse than this one, so we heard, with lots of cars stranded and deep puddles. I was considering going through again (we made it through once, we could make it again!) But I am grateful I decided instead to park the car and walked through, because while we were walking there was a large truck towing another large truck out. Kezia was super-brave and I kept her going through the water with a 1-2,1-2 count. The water at one point was up to my knees, and up to her waist. So that was our big adventure.
(This picture doesn't even do it justice. This was a few hours after, and the water has subsided some. And this isn't even where the water was deep, although you can see it is covering the road and the sidewalk and the field)
Grandma and Grandpa were going to go to the submarine ride, but it was canceled too because of weather. Grandma and I played Waterworks, Grandpa and I ran some errands. It was great to go around with Grandpa and see how he struck up a conversation with every person he came in contact with, and made them smile. The girls took advantage of the sun peeking through the clouds to play outside, and that evening they walked with the girls to the playground. (I made sure that this time we were well-connected with phones just in case.) I went outside to read, when I saw some light drops of rain. I left to go get them, and as soon as we reached home, it came down HARD again!! We all felt lucky that I came when I did (since we just live down the road from the playground.) Grandma said Grandpa had a hard time walking, that he was feeling off-balance.
That night, Thursday night, the wind blew. Elysse and Ivy woke up in Friday morning still sick, and Elysse continued on her cries for the whole day , (later we found out she had an ear infection, poor thing) except when she was sleeping. Ivy was in high spirits, though. Grandma stayed home and did laundry while Grandpa and I ran errands. Grandpa was kind enough to dry out our tools that were outside during the storm. (which will have to be done again, since I trusted the blue sky and returned them outside. Duh!)
Well, this afternoon I prepared dinner to take with us to the Christmas parade, and as we were getting ready to go, it started to rain, and thunder and lightening. We decided to go see if the parade was still going on. Well, we happened to be really blessed and this is why: First of all Grandma decided she was too tired to go. If she had gone, she would have been miserable, I think, because it was definitely RAINING. We drove to the starting point of the parade, and were not allowed to go down the road where the parade would be going on. So that meant we got to watch the parade from where they were filing all the paraders in the order in which to go. We only walked 25 feet from our car, which meant Grandpa didn't have to walk very far, and we saw the hour-long parade in only 18 minutes, since all the paraders and floats were crammed together. That was super, because 1. I forgot to get a chair for Grandpa, 2. Kezia and Elysse had fallen asleep during the 5 minute drive to the parade, and 3. I didn't want our sick girls to be exposed to the cold wet air for that long. Besides, after we arrived home, the rain came down harder. So we felt really blessed. Afterward, Grandpa and I said that it was perfectly (un)planned.
After we arrived home, Grandma and Grandpa fell asleep and Nate and I bullied an 11-ft box with surfboards inside to our back porch through the pouring rain. Now all is quiet except for snores and coughs.
The girls have enjoyed reading with Grandma and Grandpa, listening to Grandpa's songs, and watching his magic tricks, reminding me of the Grandpa I knew when I was young.
Saturday Grandma and I went to Walmart to pick up a few essentials, then we headed to Laie to go to the PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center) (hoping the foreboding clouds in the sky were merely an illusion). I droped them off with hats, an umbrella, and the wheelchair and I left to congratulate my friend Leslie on her graduation and say goodbye as she heads off to the mainland to get married. While I was at the BYU campus, (right next to the PCC), the rain came down HARD! The type where you step out and when you come in, you look like a shower head yourself. I returned to the PCC with sweaters and found Grandma and Grandpa struggling with the wheelchair and ready to return home. However, a guide graciously found them a place to watch the canoe pagaent under cover, and then she stayed with them until another guide took over and helped them for the whole time. And the front desk only asked them to pay $10 for admission. See? It pays to get old.
Monday was a lot of fun. We went to the beach and played. Grandpa and Ivy enjoyed sharing pretzels and pumpkin dip on the shore while Grandpa called out to whomever was in the water to turn around and pose for a picture.
Well, before Grandma came out, her hairdresser told her she ought to cut her hair short because Hawaii is windy and rainy. I think she may have placed a curse on Hawaii because we are having quite a storm! It came Wednesday night, with sheets of rain and high winds for 8+hrs straight.
It was exciting to listen to, but I was mostly kept up by Elysse's crying. She got a fever during the night, and she and Ivy are both feverish and coughing, and Elysse has a runny nose: All the symptoms of a sickness that has been snaking its way around the North Shore lately, so apparently it's highly contagious, and we are crossing our fingers and toes that Grandma and Grandpa don't catch it, asking Grandma and Grandpa not to touch the sick girls, and chowing down Echinacea.
That morning, Thursday morning, I took Kezia to school. We drove along the road until we got to a place that was flooded; the river was overflowing. There was a van signaling us to pass him. I stopped by him and he said he has seen other cars go through, but he wasn't going to. Well, I thought, if a van isn't going to try, then I'm not! But just then a truck came to my other window and said to just stay in the middle and don't stop and I'll be fine, and that a lot of cars have gone through. So I thought, alright. But what I couldn't see was that the flood continued on around the bend. We passed a stranded car, and Kezia and I were cheering on the Isuzu as the water level was past our tires. At one point the car was going slowly and I was afraid it would give up on us, but we made it through...only to find that school was canceled. And by this point, the police had closed the road. The other road we could take back home was worse than this one, so we heard, with lots of cars stranded and deep puddles. I was considering going through again (we made it through once, we could make it again!) But I am grateful I decided instead to park the car and walked through, because while we were walking there was a large truck towing another large truck out. Kezia was super-brave and I kept her going through the water with a 1-2,1-2 count. The water at one point was up to my knees, and up to her waist. So that was our big adventure.
(This picture doesn't even do it justice. This was a few hours after, and the water has subsided some. And this isn't even where the water was deep, although you can see it is covering the road and the sidewalk and the field)Grandma and Grandpa were going to go to the submarine ride, but it was canceled too because of weather. Grandma and I played Waterworks, Grandpa and I ran some errands. It was great to go around with Grandpa and see how he struck up a conversation with every person he came in contact with, and made them smile. The girls took advantage of the sun peeking through the clouds to play outside, and that evening they walked with the girls to the playground. (I made sure that this time we were well-connected with phones just in case.) I went outside to read, when I saw some light drops of rain. I left to go get them, and as soon as we reached home, it came down HARD again!! We all felt lucky that I came when I did (since we just live down the road from the playground.) Grandma said Grandpa had a hard time walking, that he was feeling off-balance.
That night, Thursday night, the wind blew. Elysse and Ivy woke up in Friday morning still sick, and Elysse continued on her cries for the whole day , (later we found out she had an ear infection, poor thing) except when she was sleeping. Ivy was in high spirits, though. Grandma stayed home and did laundry while Grandpa and I ran errands. Grandpa was kind enough to dry out our tools that were outside during the storm. (which will have to be done again, since I trusted the blue sky and returned them outside. Duh!)
Well, this afternoon I prepared dinner to take with us to the Christmas parade, and as we were getting ready to go, it started to rain, and thunder and lightening. We decided to go see if the parade was still going on. Well, we happened to be really blessed and this is why: First of all Grandma decided she was too tired to go. If she had gone, she would have been miserable, I think, because it was definitely RAINING. We drove to the starting point of the parade, and were not allowed to go down the road where the parade would be going on. So that meant we got to watch the parade from where they were filing all the paraders in the order in which to go. We only walked 25 feet from our car, which meant Grandpa didn't have to walk very far, and we saw the hour-long parade in only 18 minutes, since all the paraders and floats were crammed together. That was super, because 1. I forgot to get a chair for Grandpa, 2. Kezia and Elysse had fallen asleep during the 5 minute drive to the parade, and 3. I didn't want our sick girls to be exposed to the cold wet air for that long. Besides, after we arrived home, the rain came down harder. So we felt really blessed. Afterward, Grandpa and I said that it was perfectly (un)planned.
After we arrived home, Grandma and Grandpa fell asleep and Nate and I bullied an 11-ft box with surfboards inside to our back porch through the pouring rain. Now all is quiet except for snores and coughs.
The girls have enjoyed reading with Grandma and Grandpa, listening to Grandpa's songs, and watching his magic tricks, reminding me of the Grandpa I knew when I was young.
Saturday Grandma and I went to Walmart to pick up a few essentials, then we headed to Laie to go to the PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center) (hoping the foreboding clouds in the sky were merely an illusion). I droped them off with hats, an umbrella, and the wheelchair and I left to congratulate my friend Leslie on her graduation and say goodbye as she heads off to the mainland to get married. While I was at the BYU campus, (right next to the PCC), the rain came down HARD! The type where you step out and when you come in, you look like a shower head yourself. I returned to the PCC with sweaters and found Grandma and Grandpa struggling with the wheelchair and ready to return home. However, a guide graciously found them a place to watch the canoe pagaent under cover, and then she stayed with them until another guide took over and helped them for the whole time. And the front desk only asked them to pay $10 for admission. See? It pays to get old.
We were planning on taking the quickest route down to Honolulu to get to the ship, but I changed my mindafter someone mentioned the road had closed a few days before because of mudslides, and it occured to me that if we get stuck, we are stuck; there's no other road. Well, I am very glad we went back the other way, because we drove through quite a few large pools of water and through heavy rain. I am doubtful we would have made it the other way. Here's a funny story. On the way back we passed Hukilau beach. I asked Grandpa if he has heard about the Hukilau (Who key lau) beach. Grandma was in the back seat and couldn't hear well. Her eyes widened at what she thought she heard, "Bahookie beach?!? BAHOOOKIE?!?"
Now it is Sunday the 21st. Grandma and Grandpa returned from their cruise yesterday (Saturday) morning and now I am thoroughly convinced I should go on a cruise. They looked so refreshed and relaxed!! They raved about the food and how their room was made up every time they returned to it and the excursions they were on (except for one 8 hr. drive on bumpy roads through a barren landscape), the pools, saunas, and spas on the ship. They said they had a great time. But they only took 2 pictures!!!
Ironic how such a relaxing trip can knock you out. They didn't do much yesterday beside nap and relax. Grandpa had caught a bad cough on the last day of the cruise, so today (Sunday) they stayed home.
Last week we really haven't had time to talk or do anything besides care for the kids and our tummies. I don't think they really knew what they were getting themselves into when they said they just want to come out and see what our family does. I just hope they don't feel like a burden, because it's an honor having them here. It was so nice today to just sit and talk and laugh (which was unkind to Grandpa's cough) but it was great to finally put a slow-down and just talk and laugh. We learned about all the boys that were after Aunt Katherine, aobut how my mom really wasn't that bad in their minds, and about how Aunt Sherri got cold feet with Uncle David.
Right now they are at the beach with Nate and Kezia. Nate's been trying extra hard to get Grandma to eat some chocolate. And we are all anxious to see who will get the first spanking from Grandma, since she's made the threat. :) They leave tomorrow night.
Monday was a lot of fun. We went to the beach and played. Grandpa and Ivy enjoyed sharing pretzels and pumpkin dip on the shore while Grandpa called out to whomever was in the water to turn around and pose for a picture.
Grandma made a beeline for the water and she was so funny! She sat next to the water, and panicked a little when a ripple would come. And I guess when you're as light as Grandma, you ought to panick a little, because the water would push her almost 180 degrees! And then she'd laugh and wait for another ripple to come. Kezia enjoyed sitting with her, as well as I. We picked up tiny shells and pieces of coral.
She and I talked a bit about when she was young, about the cherry tree in her yard that the neighborhood boys would climb and eat the cherries and how her mom would squirt the hose at them. She told me about strict Grandpa Smart who was a stake president for 25 years and they always had to wear skirts when he came around because he didn't approve of girls in shorts. She told me about how he settled the Ducshene/ Roosevelt area of Utah, and would start up banks and shops and such and then coax businessmen to come in and take over. She told me how she loved hanging out with her cousins. And she told me about her father the entrepreneur who quite his job with a Charm cosmetic company to begin his own line: "Charmetics", and the successful line of perm machines that turned off when a woman's hair perm was just right. Ooh-la-la! Grandma said she was the guinea pig for showing off how good the machine was because her hair was so fine, so it always gave her a good perm.
Did you know Grandma didn't wear any makeup here? I commented how good she looked, how much color she has, and she said it's because you are what you eat, and she eats really well. So there you have it. Speaking of looks, it was humourous to watch Grandma insist on she and Grandpa wearing "Hawaiian" clothes while they were here. ("No, Roger, you're in Hawaii. You will not wear that outfit. You will wear this one with the flowers. Now put this on and we'll save this one for when we return home.") They looked so comfortable and relaxed in their colorful "Hawaiian" clothes that it was almost stiffening to see them slip into their brown and blue polyester and silk "Utah" outfits for the trip back home.
It was so wonderful to have them here.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Grateful to have Nate as my sparing companion
Although it seems that we fell off the face of the bloggin' planet, we're still here.
Both Nate and I have found 2008 to be a very challenging year in many ways. I look forward to the beginning of 2009, as though a mere change in number would magically change things around. There have definitely been some wonderful, great things that have happened this last year, don't get me wrong. But as a whole, it's been a royal butt-kicking -- at least for Nate and I. One night after the kids were in bed, I closed the door and said to Nate, "I feel like I'm in a boxing match with Life that isn't ending, and it's beating me up real bad. I feel I am sunken in a corner, trying to catch a breath. But I'm still in it, and I haven't fallen yet. So BRING IT ON!" Nate laughed, and without speaking, we both understood the same thing, that both of us were in that corner together. I am so grateful to have Nate by my side.
Both Nate and I have found 2008 to be a very challenging year in many ways. I look forward to the beginning of 2009, as though a mere change in number would magically change things around. There have definitely been some wonderful, great things that have happened this last year, don't get me wrong. But as a whole, it's been a royal butt-kicking -- at least for Nate and I. One night after the kids were in bed, I closed the door and said to Nate, "I feel like I'm in a boxing match with Life that isn't ending, and it's beating me up real bad. I feel I am sunken in a corner, trying to catch a breath. But I'm still in it, and I haven't fallen yet. So BRING IT ON!" Nate laughed, and without speaking, we both understood the same thing, that both of us were in that corner together. I am so grateful to have Nate by my side.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
We've moved!!!
....And we LOVE it!!!
Here I am sitting in a house full of boxes, my husband snoozing on a mattress on the floor and the girls asleep. And outside, there are quiet voices from a sleepy party at the park next to our house. If it weren't for that, all we'd be able to hear are the waves from the ocean and the whir-whir-whir of our ceiling fans. No more Harleys.
Today we went on a walk. We used to squeeze through the outside seating of a smokey bar if we went on family walks, and then yelled in order to be heard over the roar of the cars and motorcycles and trucks whizzing by down the busy street. Today we stepped out of our place and the girls walked right by us (and I could hear everything they said!!) . They picked up giant papaya leaves, plumerias, fern leaves, and other greenery for their collection. We walked under trees bent from the weight of their lush leaves, and within a minute's time found ourselves at a beach watching a plump monk seal resting on the shore. We walked down the beach, picking up sand crabs and hermit crabs and watching tiny fish dart around the shallow tide pools.
I looked behind me and saw Kezia walking in the water, the bottom of her dress wet and clinging to her legs. The water was clear and bright turquoise. A little ways out the water turned darker as it got deeper, and a little further out there were foamy waves. It looked like something out of an ambitious travel agent's marketing kit.
We have arrived. Since the day we signed for our condo in Wahiawa, I have been wanting to move back to the north shore, and now we have, and ahhhhhhhh.......
And here's the news of the move. Really, just boring yada yada. Just for my own journaling, really.
Our move yesterday was...well, it's done. Or almost done. We heard there was supposed to be a big storm slamming the island on Saturday, so I called our good friends to help us get a head start on Friday. Another friend watched our girls and sent us home with lasagna.
We were so grateful that the next day did not bring the heavy rain that was expected (though it was raining). Nate's mom watched the girls until Sunday morning and Eric, Nate's dad, brought his truck and we brought a big load down. Then he went home to rest. I was thinking of the big job that lay ahead of us, moving everything else in just 3 hours by ourselves, which was when we were expecting some people from church who had generously volunteered to help us clean our condo (and at the same time hoping they would show up, unlike our moving crew). But a sympathetic neighbor offered his help and we got the van loaded another time. Once the cleaning crew came, Nate and some of them loaded the van twice more and after the condo was mostly cleaned, we unloaded everything and loaded up on some dinner from Kay. It was great to eat some sensible food after snacking on M&M's for the day. We figured we should get our dresser before we called it a day so we could have some clothes to wear. As we were loading it into the van, a neighbor gave us some savory slices of pizza. Once we got everything in, it was about midnight. With muscles like jello, we plopped the mattress on the floor, turned out the light and went to sleep. I woke this morning with a smile on my face. I was here!!!
We went to church, to sacrament meeting to watch a friend's missionary farewell. We had great plans of going back to at least make our place a bit livable, but we ended up at a friend's house, who must have had pity on our haggard countenances and gave us lunch and let me sleep on their bed while the girls were in primary.
Although we didn't have the help we expected for the move, we felt really blessed for Nate's parents' help, our neighbor, the kids from the church, the pizza neighbor, Courtney Pierce who watched our girls, and the Langis for the food and nap. It is great to have friends and people who serve. And now I am going to bed. Or going to floor. Whateva.
Here I am sitting in a house full of boxes, my husband snoozing on a mattress on the floor and the girls asleep. And outside, there are quiet voices from a sleepy party at the park next to our house. If it weren't for that, all we'd be able to hear are the waves from the ocean and the whir-whir-whir of our ceiling fans. No more Harleys.
Today we went on a walk. We used to squeeze through the outside seating of a smokey bar if we went on family walks, and then yelled in order to be heard over the roar of the cars and motorcycles and trucks whizzing by down the busy street. Today we stepped out of our place and the girls walked right by us (and I could hear everything they said!!) . They picked up giant papaya leaves, plumerias, fern leaves, and other greenery for their collection. We walked under trees bent from the weight of their lush leaves, and within a minute's time found ourselves at a beach watching a plump monk seal resting on the shore. We walked down the beach, picking up sand crabs and hermit crabs and watching tiny fish dart around the shallow tide pools.
I looked behind me and saw Kezia walking in the water, the bottom of her dress wet and clinging to her legs. The water was clear and bright turquoise. A little ways out the water turned darker as it got deeper, and a little further out there were foamy waves. It looked like something out of an ambitious travel agent's marketing kit.
We have arrived. Since the day we signed for our condo in Wahiawa, I have been wanting to move back to the north shore, and now we have, and ahhhhhhhh.......
And here's the news of the move. Really, just boring yada yada. Just for my own journaling, really.
Our move yesterday was...well, it's done. Or almost done. We heard there was supposed to be a big storm slamming the island on Saturday, so I called our good friends to help us get a head start on Friday. Another friend watched our girls and sent us home with lasagna.
We were so grateful that the next day did not bring the heavy rain that was expected (though it was raining). Nate's mom watched the girls until Sunday morning and Eric, Nate's dad, brought his truck and we brought a big load down. Then he went home to rest. I was thinking of the big job that lay ahead of us, moving everything else in just 3 hours by ourselves, which was when we were expecting some people from church who had generously volunteered to help us clean our condo (and at the same time hoping they would show up, unlike our moving crew). But a sympathetic neighbor offered his help and we got the van loaded another time. Once the cleaning crew came, Nate and some of them loaded the van twice more and after the condo was mostly cleaned, we unloaded everything and loaded up on some dinner from Kay. It was great to eat some sensible food after snacking on M&M's for the day. We figured we should get our dresser before we called it a day so we could have some clothes to wear. As we were loading it into the van, a neighbor gave us some savory slices of pizza. Once we got everything in, it was about midnight. With muscles like jello, we plopped the mattress on the floor, turned out the light and went to sleep. I woke this morning with a smile on my face. I was here!!!
We went to church, to sacrament meeting to watch a friend's missionary farewell. We had great plans of going back to at least make our place a bit livable, but we ended up at a friend's house, who must have had pity on our haggard countenances and gave us lunch and let me sleep on their bed while the girls were in primary.
Although we didn't have the help we expected for the move, we felt really blessed for Nate's parents' help, our neighbor, the kids from the church, the pizza neighbor, Courtney Pierce who watched our girls, and the Langis for the food and nap. It is great to have friends and people who serve. And now I am going to bed. Or going to floor. Whateva.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
I'm a Princess! And so is my husband.
Procrastinating my dish duty this evening, I got swept into doing an online "Disney Princess" quiz. Nate wanted to see what he would be too (I think he was procrastinating as well) So, here we are! When Nate found out he's Ariel, he said, "Oh that's great! I love the ocean!" He's so funny.
Heidi is....
You Are Pocahantas!
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Nate is...
You Are Ariel!
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Heidi is....
You Are Pocahantas!
Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Nate is...
You Are Ariel!
Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Two little Jaguars
Here are comparison pictures of Ivy and Elysse, roughly the same age and in the same costume. Wish I could find the one of Kezia!
BOO!! Happy Halloween pictures
Black and red hair was definitely way cool at our house for Halloween.
Here are some super-easy crafts and snacks from my Great Beginnings preschool for Halloween: spiders made of egg carton sections and pipe cleaners and for snack, a ghost of cottage cheese and raisins and a monster mouth made of a pear and pecans. It's so easy it's scary.
Here are some pics from Halloween! I hope yours was spooky.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Scary Moment, Elysse
Pennies, checkers, large foam beads, chunks of food, these are just some of the threatening objects we pull out of Elysse's mouth. It seems as soon as we take one out, she pops another one in.
Last night she had the tell-tale signs of a tasty hidden treasure: a closed mouth and bubbly drool dripping off her chin. As I swept her mouth with my finger to take out whatever was inside, whatever it was actually got pushed back into her throat making her choke. It was so scary. She couldn't breathe and her skin was turning dark. Nate was with me and was pounding her back. What was unsettling was my reaction of panic. I froze in a "What do I do?" state, wondering if I should call 911 just in case the pounding doesn't work, and trying to recall what to do in case breathing stops.
Perhaps that was best, though, so we weren't both trying to take charge. In the meantime, I played the part of a cheerleader, "C'mon, Elysse! C'mon Elysse!"
Thankfully, she threw up, at last dislodging a piece of stiff, rough velcro with dried paint on its backside that had fallen from the wall after I removed wall hangings from the girls' room.
I am so thankful for my little Elysse...again. (and if you are wondering about the "again" part, you can check out my July post titled, "Grateful for Elysse") Not to make light of the situation, but sometimes I wonder if these things happen to Elysse to keep up my gratitude for her despite her constant fussiness.
Sometimes I wish I could just tie her jaw to her chest! Here's a picture when we tried it the other day.....jk
Last night she had the tell-tale signs of a tasty hidden treasure: a closed mouth and bubbly drool dripping off her chin. As I swept her mouth with my finger to take out whatever was inside, whatever it was actually got pushed back into her throat making her choke. It was so scary. She couldn't breathe and her skin was turning dark. Nate was with me and was pounding her back. What was unsettling was my reaction of panic. I froze in a "What do I do?" state, wondering if I should call 911 just in case the pounding doesn't work, and trying to recall what to do in case breathing stops.
Perhaps that was best, though, so we weren't both trying to take charge. In the meantime, I played the part of a cheerleader, "C'mon, Elysse! C'mon Elysse!"
Thankfully, she threw up, at last dislodging a piece of stiff, rough velcro with dried paint on its backside that had fallen from the wall after I removed wall hangings from the girls' room.
I am so thankful for my little Elysse...again. (and if you are wondering about the "again" part, you can check out my July post titled, "Grateful for Elysse") Not to make light of the situation, but sometimes I wonder if these things happen to Elysse to keep up my gratitude for her despite her constant fussiness.
Sometimes I wish I could just tie her jaw to her chest! Here's a picture when we tried it the other day.....jk
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Out with the old, on with the...very old? AND on with the better.
Nate has been trying to sell his motorcycle. He was finally able to do so, the same day we were able to pick up A NEW VAN for the SUP surf school. It is a 1979 Dodge van: old for a car, young for a person.
On the test drive it rained rust and the owner told us how it would rain on him during showers due to the holes in the roof. Nate got to experience that for himself before he patched up all the holes with foam. Now it looks like a foaming witches' brew or something, with foam oozing out the top. Anyway, we are cosmetically fixing it up, and the engine and brakes are great, and the price is great too: $200. Can't go wrong.And speaking of new and different, WE ARE MOVING!!!! We are excited to be moving back to the North Shore to a familiar, close-knit neighborhood in about 2 weeks. Now, instead of walking through a pub, we can walk a block to a playground on the beach that is a gathering place for young families. Now instead of walking up stairs or taking an elevator we can walk a couple steps to our first floor apartment. Now instead of feeling bad because my kids have no outdoors in which to play, I can send them out to the yard (although, really it's literally a yard squaredbut, hey, it's grass!) and now instead of shouting over the earth-trembling racket of Harleys and trucks and the whir of cars going by, we will be lulled the waves of the ocean .
Ironically, it is the same apartment I had considered buying for our business 3 years ago!! It is a small 2 bedroom, so a definite downsize: we'll all learn to love each other even more ;) So, needless to say, the next few weeks are going to be very, very busy.
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