Saturday, January 31, 2009

Would you like some ketchup with your salad?


This is what happens when I turn my back for one second as I'm getting dinner on the table. Ketchup on my salad. At least its neatly in one pile to the side. Thank you Ethan.

Do you know what my most dreaded words are lately? "Help Momma" uttered by Ethan accompanied by the sound of a kitchen chair being pushed across the kitchen floor to the counter where I am working. He's quick too. He can put anything within reach into the microwave and turn it on-always for a very, very long time, in the blink of an eye.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

What happens when Ethan helps pack daddy's lunch....



I had no idea he had done this until Nate sent me this picture. I swear.

Friday, January 23, 2009

BEDHEAD!


Somebody got up from his nap with a serious case of bedhead!

My First Cedar Waxwing!



I was so excited to have spotted this bird in our maple tree while I was working at the computer this afternoon. I was going over an article I wrote for www.whatbird.com about different ways to identify birds, actually! This bird landed in our maple tree with his back to me, I thought it was a female cardinal due to color and crest, then I spotted the yellow on the tail and saw the red on the wings when he turned around. He hung out for several minutes then came over to the holly bushes right outside the window and started eating the berries. So fun to see him close up! I found this picture on Flicker to show you all what this bird looks like. The photographer is Eric Carr from Canada, he has some awesome pictures on his website. Check it out here.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Monkey Business

Aunties Mary Beth and Jessica had fun shopping for their favorite nephew. A box full of cute clothes arrived yesterday. On top was an unfamiliar object. What on earth was this I wondered as I picked it up.

I untied the ribbon and unrolled the bundle of material to reveal crayons. How cute I thought, but a bit odd since boxes work just fine. Then the real beauty of this Relief Society Enrichment project that Mary Beth had sewn hit...Ethan could turn this upside down and shake it but the crayons wouldn't fall out. Genius! This is my new favorite thing. I believe this little gem will accompany us to church and on road trips for years to come. Thank you Mary Beth!

Ethan was very excited to see the Curious George pajamas and hooded sweatshirt as he emptied the box. "OOO-OOO" he said mimicking the monkey sound. Then "Curious George" I think that was the first time he said it. The jammies are a little big right now, but we promised Mary Beth and Jessie he'd wear them and we'd take pictures...so here he is tonight, helping me fold laundry as only he can do it. To start, Ethan selects the chair nearest my laundry basket.

Next he jumps into the basket.

Then he rocks the basket, front to back and side to side until he has tumbled out a few times.


Nap time in the laundry basket!


OK in other news, when I went to the pool this morning there was ice in my swim cap! I had left it in the car. Also Ethan saw older children using child safe scissors in childwatch at the Y, and kept asking to use them-calling them by name and everything. Since he supposedly can't cut himself they let him have a pair and after some trying managed to cut some paper up. All of a sudden he grabbed a bunch of his hair and had the scissors up there trying to cut it!!! Yikes-luckily they didn't cut his hair. So, no unsupervised scissors for Ethan.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Just because I liked it.

BTW-two of my sisters will be at the inauguration parade next week-Mary Beth and Jessica have a great time and send pictures!

Next Tuesday, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President. On this historic occasion, PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his children. Here, he shares his letter to them.

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.
That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love, Dad

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Thomas!!!!

Ethan emptied his closet and two bottles of lavender baby wash during his nap today. Which prompted my 2nd call to the Poison Control Center in 1 week. 18002221222 in case you're wondering. No, they won't call DCF on me for calling so much, I asked. Seriously, both times, I had no proof Ethan the Heathen had actually ingested anything. It was purely circumstantial evidence. So you don't need to call on me either. We are putting a lock on that closet door this weekend. And looking for an inexpensive wireless camera so I can see what exactly he's up to in there. He also found a Thomas the Tank Engine train set in there. "Play this! Play this!" is what I heard until I had the tracks assembled. Ethan even picked his Thomas pajamas to wear for the occasion. I SWEAR the scrapbooker in me had nothing to do with that choice. Here he is...

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Snow Day

Today church was cancelled-we had a small snowstorm. Ethan ventured out for a short while, he went on the sled with me once and was done. I can't really blame him-it was only 20 degrees! Here are some pics...


A Day with Ethan

Under no circumstances are arm rest covers allowed to stay on chairs. They are quickly and violently taken off and thrown on the floor.

Magnetic letters that live in a cup on the easel are gleefully removed by placing both hands in the cup, and rapidly moving them back and forth until each and every letter is scattered all over the floor. Appropriate sound effects-gleeful squeals of mass mayhem being done-are made throughout the entire process, which is over in a matter of seconds.

Things that belong in one room show up in another room. In this case bookends from my bookcase in the living room turn up on the kitchen table.

Chalk lines show up in unexpected places. Here is one on the back of a chair.

More random objects mysteriously appear. Here is a basting brush taken out of a childproof kitchen drawer and placed as a road hazard on his hot wheels rug.


I can't wait for summer. We are outside ALL day. Can you see why?

Chalk Wars





Thursday, January 8, 2009

CRASH!!!!!!

That is what I heard as I was in the kitchen making dinner. Followed by shrieks of glee. I ran to the living room, and this is what I found.


Was he hurt? Was he scared and crying and never going to do that again? asked Nathan when I told him. Um NO. He thought it was funny. When I told him otherwise he lowered his head, mimicked me in a sad little voice, "no no" and helped me put the books back in the bookcase. Looks like we better dig out the strap from when the bookcase was in his bedroom and tie it to the living room wall.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Years Day

We are having a nice quiet new Years Day. I thought going outside to play and sled in the snow from yesterday's storm would be fun...until I saw the thermometer. Four degrees. I think staying inside by the fireplace and drinking hot cocoa is a much better way to spend the first day of the year. Ethan had fun trying on my shoes and playing with his easal.