A brilliant invention!

One of my good friends, Rebecca Davidson, has invented something that I just have to rave about. It's called the "Cap Trapper," and it's a product that allows you to easily keep track of marker caps and organize markers. As a mom, I think it's a great idea, but as a former teacher, I only wish she'd invented this years ago! Losing marker caps and throwing away dried up markers was an inevitable part of teaching junior high. This could have easily solved all my problems. Check out her website if you're interested in learning more about it! =)

www.savvymaycreations.com

President Gordon B. Hinckley

I just wanted to write a bit about the passing of our dear President Hinckley. He was such an amazing man! It really makes me sad to think we won't get to hear him speak at this next conference or see him smile and wave his cane. Still, when I heard he'd passed away, I got chills as I thought of his reunion with his Marjorie, and the Savior, and other loved ones in heaven. What a welcoming he must have had! Maybe it's the romantic in me, but I'm happy that he gets to be with his wife again after these last few years of being apart. And he did so much during his time as the prophet, he has to feel such peace in knowing that he's completed his mission here on earth, and did it so amazingly well! He was such an example to me of working hard, enduring, reaching out to and loving others, and keeping a good attitude. I'm so grateful I was able to "know" him as a prophet these last 12 years, and I'm grateful for the great influence he had on my life through his words of counsel and encouragement and his wonderful example.

A Conversation about Jesus

I had a funny conversation w/ Bryan this morning as we were getting ready for church. He wasn't feeling good and didn't want to go, but I told him it makes Jesus happy when we go to church and that Jesus loves him. Here's roughly how the rest of the conversation went:

Bryan: "I want to talk to Jesus."
Me: "We talk to Jesus when we pray. Jesus listens to our prayers."
Bryan: "I can't see Jesus."
Me: "That's because he's in Heaven. He can watch you from Heaven."
Bryan: (thinks a moment) "Does Jesus go potty on the toilet?"
Me: "Well, I guess so..."
Bryan: "Does Jesus have a pee pee... or a chi chi?" ("Pee pee" is what a calls a boy's private parts, and "chi chi" is the word he uses for girls)
Me: "Um, I suppose he has a pee pee, like you and Daddy."
Bryan: "Oh."

Needless to say, our little conversation made me smile. Can you tell we're working on potty training? Maybe thinking Jesus uses the toilet will be the motivation he needs. =)

Little Man's growing up

I've finally decided that Matthew is just not going to do the baby food thing. He doesn't like the runny pureed foods at all, but he LOVES finger foods or whole foods that I've mashed myself. A week ago I was still scared to give him "real" food, but after a few successful tries w/ Cheerios and veggie puffs I found he can do just fine. He's not a pro eater by any means, but meals are a lot more productive now than they used to be, meaning he actually swallows bits and pieces rather than just spitting them back all over his bib. Yesterday his meals included bagel pieces, avacado, mashed banana, cooked carrots, yams, and a teething biscuit. He's even drinking water from a cup (as long as I hold it for him). My dad, who insisted weeks ago that Matthew was ready for french fries and salad, will be glad to know he's finally on his way to eating like a real man!

It really works!

This is my new favorite cookbook. It's all about sneaking healthy ingredients into normal kid meals (quesadillas, mac and cheese, choco chip cookies, etc.). Bryan has always been a pretty picky eater, so this works great for him. And the food is actually surprisingly good! I haven't tried a ton yet, but so far my favorites are the chocolate chip cookies which have whole wheat and a white bean puree mixed into them and the chicken tenders w/ a breading of wheat germ and a sweet potato/carrot puree. =) I know it sounds weird, but it's really not as bad as it sounds. David even eats it! Tomorrow I think I'm going to try the chocolate cupcakes made with a spinach/blueberry puree (yum!).

If you've heard of Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, it's the same thing. This one just came out first and has gotten better reviews from moms who've had their kids try things from both. (Seinfeld's is a little more gourmet, but she does have some good ideas.) If you're looking for a way to get your kid(s) to eat more healthy foods, this really is a great way to go! (How's that for a testimonial!)

Bunch of sickos

Thanks to dear David (or rather the guy coughing on him on the plane from Spain), we've all been battling colds for last couple of weeks now. David actually had bronchitis and a throat infection, and was on his way to having pneumonia! I just have a cough and runny nose, and poor Matty has a cough, runny nose and goopy eyes (not to mention the fact that he's cutting his second tooth!). Bryan seems to be the only one doing okay, but even he started coughing worse than normal when he woke up this morning. Our windowsill next to our kitchen sink is overflowing w/ medicines ranging from Tylenol and throat lozenges to heavy duty antibiotics, and I'm constantly snorting saline drops (which thankfully aren't habit forming) to try and beat this dry Utah air! Thank goodness for the new humidifier we bought a couple of months ago, and thank goodness also for Matty's swing which allows him to sleep propped up a little bit so the poor kid can breathe at all while he's sleeping. I had been trying to space out his feedings (yes, he's still nursing - won't take a bottle of any kind) and drop the night feedings altogether, but that's totally gotten screwed up these past few days. Nursing seems to be the only thing that makes him feel better - that and late night HGTV shows w/ David (who's nice enough to stay up w/ the baby so I can get some sleep). I've decided we keep getting sick because we spend so much time cooped up in our little condo and the germs just keep circulating, but it's so dang cold it's hard to take the boys anywhere these days for some fresh air... Hopefully we can kick these colds soon and survive the winter. I guess I should be grateful that we've only had to deal w/ colds and nothing worse!

Crazy imagination!

It's been so much fun to have Bryan around since he's gotten back from Spain. He really is so entertaining (when he's not causing trouble). And he's got such a crazy imagination, like most kids his age, I guess. He's a pro at turning regular objects into something interesting. Last night, for example, he was using a playing card (10 of hearts or something like that) as a telephone! A couple of times I asked him to do something and he'd "shush" me w/ the card up to his ear and tell me to wait until he was done talking to who know's who. =) Some of the other things he transforms in his mind include the following: our can opener becomes an airplane; a highlighter is his microphone; a cassette tape is a camera; the arm of the sofa is his backhoe tractor; a banana (or his wrench, or toy trumpet, or spatula, etc.) all become "smackers" (guns). He can turn just about anything into a gun, actually, which bothers me quite a bit... Why is it that little boys get so interested in weapons?! I certainly haven't encouraged it. Hopefully it's a phase that passes eventually, but I'd love it if never loses his crazy, fun, imagination!

Fun formatting

My friend sent me a link that has all sorts of information on how to customize your blog template. I'm having lots of fun experimenting w/ different things, so you may see my background change frequently over the next few days. =) Here's the link for anyone who's interested. (Thanks, Lara!)

http://sjhblogdesign.blogspot.com/

My boys are back!

Well, David and Bryan made it home safe and sound. They had a wonderful time in Spain, and I'm glad they were able to spend time with David's family, but I'm SOO glad to have them back. As much a I enjoyed quiet time w/ Matthew, I really didn't like having them gone for so long. I can even say I'm actually grateful to have toys cluttering the family room again, three times as many dishes piled up in the sink, and the sound of David's basketball game in the background right now. My life feels like it's back to the way it should be.

The only thing that's been tougher than I anticipated is Bryan's jet lag! When he staggered up to me at the airport w/ his hair dissheveled and bags under his eyes I could tell already that he hadn't been able to sleep much during their 16+ hour trip. I thought for sure he'd sleep that night out of sheer exhastion despite the 8 hour time difference, but nope... He woke up at 2:00 in the morning asking to "watch a show." I was able to persuade him to go back to bed, and he did for a couple more hours, but at 4:00 am he was totally alert and ready to start to the day. David was nice enough to go out and lay on the couch in the family room while Bryan watched who-knows-what on the T.V., but Bryan still came in every 30 minutes or so to ask me when I was going to get up. I'm definitely not a morning person, so I was not a happy camper. But the worst part came later in the afternoon when Bryan was ready to go to bed and I couldn't let him! I knew I had to keep him up so he'd acclamate faster to our time zone, but the poor kid was so tired and cranky, it really made me feel bad. Thankfully at one point he kind of got a second wind - we played soccer and ping pong and a number of games to keep him on his feet - and he actually made it until nighttime. But then he woke up sick this morning and I'm sure it's from lack of sleep! Oh well. I guess dealing w/ this now is a small price to pay for the opportunity for him to spend time in Spain. I'm just glad we're not planning on leaving time zones again any time soon!

Congratulations, Aunt Heather!

This is Matty. My Aunt Heather got married to Jake on Friday. I got to hang out with Grandpa and watch them take pictures at the temple. Then we drove to a restaurant and everyone ate Chinese food while I banged spoons on the table. Mommy got up and talked about Heather and cried a little bit. She wasn't sad, though. I think it was a happy cry.

At night we had a special party and Mommy dressed me in a little suit. People laughed at me because my clothes were a little bit too small, and Mommy called me her "chunky monkey." Aunt Heather and Jake looked so happy together, and Mommy had fun seeing old friends. I wasn't too happy, though, because I didn't get to take a nap all day long. I was so glad when it was finally over and I got to go home and go to sleep!