Puppy Chow

Today I had a hankering for something sweet, and chocolatey, and peanut-buttery. So did the kids.
SO after a moment of scanning the pantry, we got out the Chex cereal, chocolate chips, peanut butter and powdered sugar.
After only 5 minutes of preparation, we were set.
I let the kids have a taste while we let the rest harden on the wax paper.

Me: How does it taste, Lu?
Lucy: Good. (Confused look) But it tastes like cows...

WHAT??? I haven't tasted a cow in awhile, so I took her word for it.

Eat your heart out

And finish it off with a glass of milk.

Happy Valentine's Day!
(a little early)

Glee

We are HUGE fans of the show Glee. (Andy and I have seen every episode multiple times.) Around Christmas we got the two CD's and ever since we listen to them nonstop in the car. We all have our favorite songs, and Lu and Jack can tell you who sings just about every song on each disk even though they have never seen the show itself. Lu knows the words to most of the songs- pretty impressive for a 3 year old. Well, things were getting dull today so the kids and I stuck in the Glee CD (#2 to be exact). When the song Jump! came on, we were surprised to see who sang the loudest...

It's time...

.... For the Carca-lator!

I could just eat this little guy up!

Museum Fun

We love the museum!

For a long time, the dinosaurs were Jack and Lucy's favorite part. Then they watched Night at the Museum, and are now totally freaked out that the T Rex is going to come after them. Before entering Jack confirms a few times to me "It's just a big stuffed dinosaur and a CD making the noises, right?" I even hear him tell himself that a few times under his breath. Lu just holds on to me as tight as she possibly can. Notice she is not in any of the pictures.

Plug your ears Chad.... then you can't hear it growl....


ready to run if necessary...

brave for a moment

Another favorite is the butterfly exhibit. The kids try so hard to be enticing to the fluttering butterflies. Jack gets lucky... I love that look on Chad's face... that look of longing adoration...

success!

the underwear pokie

When you are three.... new undies are a big treat. Lucy has been having issues with her original undies.... they have been slipping down over her bum so we decided it was perhaps time to get some new bigger ones. She was SO excited and she knew exactly what kind she wanted. PRINCESSES! All through Target she reminded me that we needed to stop to get them. So once I got tired of hearing her reminders, we headed over and she picked out some pretty princess undies. She ogled them for the rest of the time we were in the store and I barely heard a peep out of her (why didn't I let her pick them out first... I asked myself that too!). She reluctantly gave them to the check out lady and then quickly made sure that they were actually in the bag once we were done paying. She took them out with one of the biggest grins I've seen in a while, then started unzipping the package to take out a pair to examine them more closely. I reminded her we should probably wait until we got out to the car to take them out of the bag so everyone knew they were paid for. She smiled and as she put them into the bag she started singing:

"You put the undies in...
You take the undies out...
You put the undies in...
And you shake them all about..."
(and I thought a passer-by was going to run into a cart he was laughing so hard. )

Ahhhhh, the simple pleasures in life :)


My princess

Friends

About 1:30am last night I am jolted awake by a huge ruckus outside my bedroom window. We live right on the street- a main thoroughfare for college students and the head of my bed is approximately 1.5 feet from the sidewalk. There is a college student lying passed out cold outside my bedroom window, his friends hysterical, and the next thing I know my home is surrounded by fire trucks and paramedics. I peek through the blinds for a moment, then lay down and start thinking. Thinking about how lucky I am... to have the family I have- such a wonderful husband and children. A wonderful father, mother and sister who love me so much, and Andy's family who I feel like have always been mine too. And then my mind drifts to my friends here. In a few short months we will be moving and many of my best friends will be packing everything up to move all over the country, and in one case move internationally. A few have gone before us - I cherish those emails and blog updates I get from them.And those who are not moving yet will be left behind when we go.

When we entered dental school our lives drastically changed. But the circumstances surrounding this change are what is so special and unique. We are faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and there happens to be a large number of dental and medical families who attend our church. Over the past 8 years I have been so lucky to be able to surround myself with friends who were going through the same challenges as me. Women who also had a husband at school who understood the loneliness, the long days, and the stress that demanding school schedules impose on a young family. Mothers who would not judge, but provide the support and love I needed when I was having difficulties with one of my children. Women who accepted me for me. Whether it was an email, a phone call or a visit- these women knew when I needed something and were always there for me. These wonderful women have had an enormous impact upon who I am as a person. They have inspired me both spiritually and creatively. They have inspired me to be a better mother, wife, and daughter. They have guided me through the woes of motherhood and held my hand when I needed it. It is special people like this who have impacted my adult life greatly, who I will be forever grateful to... and for. As the reality of graduation and moving on to the next stage of life stares me in the eyes, flaunting so many exciting changes, I also find myself wavering.
I know that there will be new friends once we move.
But I also know there are some big shoes to fill.