Quantcast
Channel: WE ARE KUSILEK
Viewing all 145 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

zac brown band

October 22, 2012, 9:01 pm
$
0
0
My camera is lost.  Lost in the rubble.  But really I can't find it and it's irking me big time--my little boy is growing up (and doing the most hilarious things) and I am missing documentation.  I just want to go buy a new camera!!

But then...

The Zac Brown band song starts to slowly increase in volume in my mind and I remember our family theme song as of 2 years and going strong...  "no we don't have a lot of money.....no we don't have a lot of money....no we don't have a lot of money...."  I swear that the band goes on to repeat that line like 10 times!  It made me laugh the first time I heard it (and most times I hear it, actually), and decided immediately it was our theme song.  It's our little comic relief for frustrating poor-life moments.  We sing in unison, me and the Perry.  What I'm saying is, we have embraced the poverty.  With the hope that one day (?) we will have a bit o'money :)

(just FYI I wanted to remember how we made this song a part of our life at this time, that is the reason for this post.  Let's all laugh about days of having nothing.  And also FYI, we have everything we need, I just want more.  Silly, I know.)

And if you don't know the song, after the no money part it says, all crescendo and booming, "All we need is loooveeee." Yeehaww, Zac.  Yeehaw.

 Thanks to a friend for taking this of our adorable little lion!
↧
Search

found

October 29, 2012, 12:18 pm
$
0
0
 
FOUND the camera, hallelujah.  Then all you can see the best looking tiny toosh out there.  He had a little rash so he needed some airing-out time.

 We woke up to this winter wonderland the other day.  I loved it.  Would have listened to Christmas music, too, but I just didn't.  (yes, Wade loves my blush brush.  And anything he finds in any drawer.  Por ejemplo, I could not find the can opener yesterday, so naturally I go looking around for it, and there it is on my night stand.  The garlic press is under our bedroom table and the bottle scrubber is on the couch.  I often cannot find my mascara, either.  We love to hide treasures, huh Wade?)

 I love November and December!!!!!  I hope it snows a million inches!!!
 P diddy turned another year older friday.  We had a party, and he and Wade were kind of matching (new shirts from La Abuela, Susan).  Love them.
The faithfuls that lasted through the whole party (well, they were the only ones without kids/visitors at their homes!  So we are not upset at those who needed to depart early).  We just watched a little Hocus Pocus happily together.  What's the month of October without that classic movie?

Saturday we also went out with the Watsonians (Mad & Stu), enjoying Scheels (madhouse), dinner at Macaroni Grill (delicioussssss), and "Luz de las Naciones" performance at the conference center.  It told the legends of the "Great White God" from several countries (mostly central/south america, but also included Hawaii and Samoa) as evidence supporting the Book of Mormon.  SO SO AWESOME.  Anything spiritual in Spanish always gets me a bit more, since that's the language that I really came to KNOW the scriptures and the gospel.  I loved it soo soo much.  Thanks M&S (and Natalie for the babysitting!!!)
 
Me and Mad with one of the Aztec dancers
↧
↧

Halloweenie

November 7, 2012, 10:26 am
$
0
0
Halloween was fun.  Wade was the adorable Mickey Mouse, with a cap too small for his head (haha!!)  He enjoyed sneaking candy from the basket as we passed it out from the driveway.  Maddy joined us for the night.  It was warm (thus my shorts!), but as the sunshine left it quickly turned chilly.  Maybe next year we'll actually go trick-or-treating?!



 Shoving face, witnessed below:
 Eating a sucker! (gasp)  He is also finally figuring out how to scoot along on this thing.  We are thinking a push bike for his 2nd bday (I didn't know what that was, but it's a bike you don't pedal, just push, so they learn balance faster--without training wheels, I guess.  Perris is gung-ho and I support his gungy-ness.)

 

↧

Hotdishes 'n such

November 29, 2012, 8:24 pm
$
0
0
Howdy doody friends!  Happy Thanksgiving-ours was vunderbar (is that a real German word? yes, but it's actually wunderbar.  Fact of the day. Yes I just looked it up.)  I am in the holiday spirit and this morning found it oh so appropriate to be listening to Christmas tunes whilst smelling the delightful odors of Chex Party mix baking in the oven, Gma Kusilek style.  It was delicious, naturally.
Tomorrow is our first Christmas party of the season.  Lots of people lately have talked about how busy it is this time of year, and having to go to "one more thing..."  I'm sorry but I'll go to a hundred more things.  I think it's so awesome!  Let us bask in the Spirit of LOVE and GOODNESS.  Amen!
 
Wade is a hoot these days, and loves to be with Uncle Stu.  It is hilarious to watch them together.
 This is perhaps the most sweet portrayal of my handsome little man!  And that outfit!  Do notice how he is holding his blanket...he recently decided he LOVES to have a blanket with him...and take it everywhere (around the house, that is)  This was his new discovery of dragging it around.  Sometimes it's over his head like a ghost, which he, of course, finds extra hilarious.

 Perris pre-made a dinner Sunday night--a pizza hotdish.  (Hotdish=casserole)  I was a bit hesitant, but it turned out to be pretty darn good!  Wade loves to attend any type of kitchen work, so here he supervises the meat cooking part.  Thanks for that, my sweet husband...a night off of cooking!  'Twas marvelous.  Wunderbar, even ;)

↧

yelling

December 8, 2012, 7:02 pm
$
0
0
This morning I yelled a lot.  Pretty loud.  If we lived in a complex, neighbors may have wondered because most of what I was yelling included the phrase, "DON'T touch me!!!"  Over and over.  But then you may know who I live with, Perris R., namely.  Well, he arrived home a bit before 8am from playing basketball, right when Wade and I made our way into the living room to change his diaper from the night.  As he entered, the waft of stink entered with him.  Perris is wonderful, lovely, and my dearest sweet husband.  But he doth stink extreme after playing sports--particularly basketball.  Particularly after 2 hours of playing it.  Well we proceeded to make breakfast, eat, clean up, etc. and this entire duration of time (until around 9:45am when I said my last "DON'T TOUCH ME!!" and shut him out of the bathroom to ready myself for the day), Pierre, of course, incessantly tried to hug me from the front, bear hug me from the back, kiss me (sweaty face, ew), come up and 8 inches away from my body pretend he is pinching me all over (which is too close--the waft is strong!)...delighting in his performance.  That's about 2 hours of pure STANK trying to engulf my nostrils and person.  Thus I am justified in the loud yelling.

Moving on.  We spent a lovely evening with our friends Kim & David in the 'ole SLC last weekend.  We had our first attempt at replicating the beloved Nepalese 'momos' (meat dumplings), that our Nepalese friends taught us last year.  It was quite successful, I'd say.  They are super delicious--a meat mixture of pork, green onions, ginger, garlic, and spices inside wonton wrappers, steamed, and covered in a flavorful tomato-based puree sauce.  I loved them.  (Speaking of Momos, that is what us Mormons were nicknamed in high school in Nebraska land.  So a few of us decided we'd really dub ourselves "the Momo's" and I was Momo #1.  Proudly.  We even made t-shirts!!  I think I still have mine.  It's basically an heirloom.)

After dinner, we decided we should check out Trader Joe's--a first for all 4 of us (well 5, including Wade, but many places we go are his first!).  And a first for the state of Utah, as it had opened like 2 days before.  And the shelves were EMPTY...really!  Never been in a store with so many empty shelves.  I was not impressed with .19 bananas (yes, each).  Some stuff looked really good and we got some pretzels covered with white chocolate and peppermint crumbles-YUMo.  Kim and D got ice cream (very good) and a brownie mix (interesting).  Anyway.  Lovely evening with lovely folks.
 In other news, we've been trying to convince Wade to sit on the toilet.  He has run away quickly upon each suggestion.  Then one day, our 3 year old friend from downstairs was up here and had to go.  We asked him if it was ok if Wade watched.  Since that day, he has happily sat on his little potty...never actually going potty, but this is progress.)  How cute is he?
 And here he is, being a ghost, as he loves to be.  He walks into walls/obstacles all the time, but luckily this morning he had an eye-let fabric, which, much to his delight, was even more fun!

↧
↧

Divine December

December 10, 2012, 12:47 pm
$
0
0
So... do you get the December stress?  I have really been thinking about this.  I have heard many, many people say that they're not doing the normal things because everything is already "crazy", or they say "no let's not add one more thing we have to attend" etc.  What IS THIS? I am ready to party every night!!  And by party, let me say, I wish to celebrate Jesus Christ, life, joy, friendship, and family with others by spending time together and doing wholesome, uplifting things, and speaking of our blessings and happiness (through the means mostly of eating food and laughing and playing some games!)
 Do I not feel this because I only have one child?  Because I have one small apartment to take care of, don't work, etc?? (of course being in school would constitute extra stress, naturally.)  Anyway I don't mean to bag on anyone who does feel these things, I would just like to encourage us all to pace ourselves according to our individual abilities and limits so that we don't miss the sweet moments that come at this most sweet time of year.
Alrighty.  What a better December day than one filled with snow and a really cute babe in his boots! HAHA
And p.s. I just had to reach into the toilet and get a toy car out.  Ew.  It was my first time.
↧

Our Series of Unfortunate Events

January 4, 2013, 8:56 pm
$
0
0
...that evenutally, of course, brought good things.

I started crocheting a blanket (for the new babe.  Have I mentioned there's a new babe on the way?) today.  It's a lovely green.  Tonight my very mischevious son, Wade, grabbed my crochet hook and ran away squeeling with delight (unfortunate event #1).  Then I brushed his teeth and we put him to bed.  Maddy came over and we all went for a swim in the pool (freezing.  Well it's indoor, but still freezing).  I glanced around for said crochet hook before we went down to the pool, but didn't see anything.  When we came back we all worked together to find it...so we moved the couches.

Guess what was behind the couches?  MOUSE POO terdies!!  I died.  Vomited in my mouth a little (unfortunate event #2).  Perris was in charge of vacuuming it up, and as he's finishing vacuuming the floor, he gets the window sill, so I go forward to pull up the blinds of 2nd window sill and SCREAM BLOODY MURDER BECAUSE THERE LIES THE DEAD MOUSE (#3, obvi!)!!  Maddy was at the kitchen table and in her 29 week pregnant body whips herself up on the chair upon in a FLASH at the sound of my scream.  In a second, Perris vacuums the little thing up (it was so so teeny, but I guess all mice are tiny.  I did not know this.  This is worse than I ever expected because I am always on guard for a mouse to jump out at me in this house, but a BIG mouse.  Until today it has never happened.), and I am realizing every muscle in my body spazzed and was now a bit sore.

Disgusting, I know.

So we follow the poopy trail to the cubby (we live above a garage and it's kind of bungalow-roof shaped, so where the floor and the roof meets all through the house are cubbies.  We use them for storage) with all the canned goods in it.  Not one second can be spared, and we begin to clean it out.  Well, Perris cleaned it out (I didn't want to enter) and I moved stuff that he handed me.  So now there is hardly ANYTHING on the floor...other mouse poopies are gone, and several mouse traps are set in addition to the ones that were already there.

I hate this.  How did the pioneers do these things?!!!!!!!!??  I am no pioneer woman!  But, now our cubby is beautiful and we are extra mouse-proofing the home (the good things that came after the unfortunates).
The End. 
P.S.  Still no sign of the crochet hook.
↧

That one time I was a missionary

January 6, 2013, 6:58 pm
$
0
0
Another good thing that came from the crochet hook/mouse poopies/cubby cleaning series was we took out an old box of all my mission stuff.  I was cleaning it out and getting rid of some things I don't consider memories or valuable enough to save, and I found this little book.
I remembered I had written 2 things I was grateful for each day (for like 3 months), and was reviewing those things with a smile.  Then I glanced toward the end of the book, and saw more writing.  It was titled, "EXCUSES instead of saying "I don't want to talk to you".  This was going to be good.
For those who aren't familiar, Mormon missionaries go around to share their message with everyone, and of course like anyone have goals.  Our goal was to talk to 20 people a day on the street, to invite to hear more about what we taught.  That may not seem like a lot, but it kinda was hard to do.  So what I'm tryin' to say is that wetalked to a loottttaaa peeps.  So, naturally, we got a lot of different types of responses.  These are hilarious, I am so glad I wrote them down.  ENJOY, and have a good giggle:

1.  person's response after we introduce ourselves: "I don't have a name."
us:  "You don't?  Well we'll call you Jorge then...how are you, Jorge?"  (Obviously I had heard that one before)

2.  "No, I can't talk to you now, my sister's house is on fire"

3.  "...why do you want to know my name??"  (After we introduce ourselves and ask their name)

4.  We ask 'what's your name?'
person: "I'm not telling you, I don't even know you!"

5.  Person asks: "What are you doing?"
us: "We're missionaries."
person: "Oh no, I don't believe in that stuff.  I am Satan.  I'm not bad, I just am Satan.  I don't like women, either.  They lie."

6.  "No, no it's much to cold to attend you"

7.  us: "Hi, we're Missionaries..."
lady: "NO, NO, my boss isn't here
us: "Well we're just presenting ourselves" (That is like literal spanish translation, I really want to say "We're just going around meeting people and introducing ourselves)
lady: "No, I have orders that NO."
us: "...that no one can introduce themselves?"
lady: "No."
us: "...Ok, well I'm Hna Whicker, and she's Hna Otano.  What's your name?"
lady starts walking away-LAUGHING
We start laughing and Hna Otano shouts out "JUST SAY IT!!!"
And she keeps laughing but still walks away.  We died laughing.  (She was just being so silly and mischievous, that we couldn't help but laugh at how humorous this situation was!)

Number 7 is my personal fave.  You know, no matter who you are, stopping people on the street to talk to them is not a natural thing.  It took a long time for me to be comfortable doing it.  But then I loved it!  But I did it because I believe(d) in the message I was sharing, and any level of uncomfortable-ness was worth the chance to share what I know about this life and why we are here.  I am so glad I documented these experiences--the holy, the sad, the humorous, the joyful.

↧
Search

Affirmations & Congratulations

January 8, 2013, 6:12 pm
$
0
0
All I asked Perris for for my birthday was a trip to the Bombay House accompanied by words of affirmation.  He delivered.  Well done, my dear sir!  Here he is right before he began his speech.  He wasn't even SILLY when he did it!  I loved it so much.
 Here I am eating my delicious food.  Mmmm Bombay Indian food is soo good.  I had the Bollywood Chicken, Perris had something else that is cooked with the rice, and garlic and onion naan.  So, so good.
 We definitely couldn't finish it all.  I gave the leftovers to Perris tonight for his dinner while he's at school.  That was really nice of me.
 Although I was super enjoying my lover's tender-hearted words, I couldn't wait til he was done because I had my own little surprise!  I have been BURSTING at the seams to tell him since I bought tickets last week...

 We goin' to the Big City.  It is going to be like a second honeymoon.  Hallelujah, I loved the honeymoon.  A little adventure before we move/become parents of 2, and to really celebrate Perris' accomplishments as he receives his master's degree later this year!  YEAH Perry!!  Any and all NYC recommendations are very welcome!
↧
↧

Christmas Recap

January 10, 2013, 9:35 pm
$
0
0
What I learned over our 2 week break for Christmas:

I never want pets.  It's like adding to the amount of children you have, except they smell bad.  I would just like to focus on my children, thank you anyway.  (Although the dog and cat we watched are VERY GOOD for the most part)

I am really going to like the store Anthropologie. (future tense because I have $0 to go there with currently)  I just went there for the first time in Las Vegas.  (UPDATE: my Ma-in-law and sis-in-law gave me $$ for the store and I got 3 bowls and 4 glasses and I love them)

I love Perris.

I love doing puzzles.  We did a 1500 piece James Christensen one, of various fairy tales (beautiful!)
Then we went to Vegas to visit Perris' sister, who was visiting her in-laws, and we also enjoyed a surprise visit from ABUELA Susan!  And there we helped finish a 2000 piece NY Times Square puzzle which was very difficult.

My sister-in-law's in-law's are one-of-a-kind-hilarious.  I was talking to/texted my Mother in law probably 4 or 5 times when the group was visiting Wal-mart.  They love that place.  Makes me giggle outloud every time.

I am so, so, so excited to clean my house out and cleanse for the move.  It will begin very, very early.

Wade is hilarious and has entered a new phase of life.  He is ever so mischievous and is talking up a storm and gets REALLY frustrated when we don't know what he's trying to say.  He is loads of fun.  And he got really sweet jammies for Christmas:
 And he runs up to you really fast and throws the ball when he is 10 inches away from your face.  He doesn't understand the far-away-release yet.  Whoops!
New Years celebration=small.  Namely me and the delicious sorbet spent some time together.  But we were right next to the handsome husband who shaved off his beard for the new year.  And then we watched the 2nd Bourne Movie.
 
 Then we smooched.  (Don't look at picture below if you hate kissing pictures.  Sorry man.)  (We kissed at 10pm.  We were not going to stay up til midnight, but actually ended up being awake because of our movie!!)  Happy 2013.





↧

Be simple.

January 14, 2013, 7:17 pm
$
0
0
We have serious computer issues.  Thanks to Wade, the right hinge on my laptop is completely detached.  At least we have had plans to purchase a desktop with tax return money.  Hopefully that gets here sooner rather than later.  Computer is a fragile, fragile little thing.

 I have been thinking a lot about my days, and my goal this year is just to be simple.  What I must do everyday is:
1. Spend time with the Lord by studying His words.  If I do this and accomplish nothing else, it will ALWAYS be a good day.  I know that!
2. I would like to exercise.  Nbd if it doesn't happen every day, but my efforts are there!
2. If I go out, I will be kind and helpful to people around me, friends and strangers.
3. I will be okay if I just do things around the house and play with my children.  THAT is a good day.

I am constantly wishing to do 1,000 projects and have to schedule out my desired projects so I don't start them all at once and hence become overwhelmed!  I love projects, I love creating, I wish I could read a million books and develop a million talents everyday.  But I can't do that, and that is OKAY.
Amen. 
Now I invite you to enjoy my bday present from my Mother.  Beautiful Sorel snow boots.  I have worn them every single day since they arrived last week.  Except Sunday to church, although the high was 12 degrees, so I was tempted but they would not have matched my dress!!!  I also invite you to enjoy admiring my 19 week belly bob.  Yahoo for that.



↧

I have a dream

January 21, 2013, 8:04 pm
$
0
0
(This post is so totally date appropriate.  But I will tell you I wrote it before I remembered it is Martin Luther King Jr Day (by the way that was my elementary school.  Thanks.)  But probs my subconscious remembered.  And I would just like to state that there are much more important dreams than the personal one I am about to share with you.  Amen.)
 
I often find Perris singing to himself "I've got a dream...I've got a dream...I just want to see the floating lanterns gleam..."  I love that so much.  It is so cute and endearing.

Anyway, besides the dream of living a mice-free life (2 were taken out dead as door nails tonight.  Thank you Perris for cleaning out the cupboard that was starting to smell real, realbad...and gave me the feeling there was a dead furry friend in there. I think he escaped/entered the same time as window-sill mousey friend), 
I have the dream of a luxury double stroller.

Yes.  That means like $500+ of stroller goodness.  I have read and read and read about all strollers and decided on a beauty called the Baby Jogger City Select.  So I set myself a goal and starting saving my pennies.  There is an envelope in my secretary with the words "STROLLER FUND" written in blue ink on the front.

So luxury strollers aren't readily found in Provo & Orem Utah, which means I have seen this particular stroller maybe a total of 3 times when Mommies are passing by with their babes snugly tucked.  I've mostly just stared to get a good glimpse/take in as much observation of its quality as I can...but Perris suggested the last time that I go ask the Mom pushing it to give me her opinion/get a closer look.  Since that suggestion I haven't seen another.

Thus, we drove to the Salt Lake Valley (more luxury items of all worlds exist there) and went to the big baby store to finally see the stroller and compare with 1 other option.

It was love.

I don't really know why I feel so excited about this.  I mean, I could just get a huge mother Graco double stroller and call it good.  But I guess we all have our tastes, and I guess this is mine.  (And I could tell you all about every feature and that I want it because I believe it will last forever)  And it feels good to save up and work toward something.  Because it will mean I will love that stroller all the more because it took me 6+ months to save for.  Goals are so awesome to fulfill.

And now, I present my bare stomach.  Sorry if some of you are thinking I am floosy.  Maybe you'll feel better when you see my stretch marks.  My Momprobablywould not approve.  Sorry, Mom.  But I am real excited to have a babe, and I share with you the moment of gender reveal:
 Boy.  My life shall be filled with boys.  This I love!

↧

My happiness and hopes for others

January 31, 2013, 9:39 pm
$
0
0
To have a babe is miraculous.  To carry life within you is truly indescribable.  This second go-around I feel completely enamored with what is going on.  I am enjoying the feelings and movement and tenderness that comes with growing a wee one within.  Not that I didn't feel that with Wade, but it feels different this time.  I know what it's like to be a Momma, to give birth, to be 41 weeks pregnant..etc, etc.  There was more of an impatience last time.  I feel no rush, albeit excitement and happiness, for the end to come.  And it definitely all makes me love #1 even more.
I have dear, dear friends who want to feel these same things.  They question why their bodies aren't doing what they are supposed to do.  Please know if you are striving for what I am talking about, I sincerely wish it upon you from the deepest part of my heart. I don't know why people sometimes are so delayed in getting their heart's desire and why others don't have to wait at all, but it doesn't make them any less worthy of it.  I'm just thinking of you tonight and wishing happiness and comfort in your sweet hearts.
↧
↧

Sunshine and Snow

February 4, 2013, 11:31 am
$
0
0
A few weeks ago, more like 4, I was examining my pregnant bod and then proceeded to weigh myself.  I said something to Perris like "Well I haven't gained any pounds since the last time I weighed myself!"  With his sweet, kind, well meaning words he said something like "...Well then how are you growing?"  Which immediately interpreted to "well then why are you getting fatter??"  Which did NOT offend me, but made me laugh so much because he was trying as politely as possible to inquire about this phenomenon.  We are still laughing about it.
 (We are playing with our 3D glasses, which was extremely hilarious, especially when Mom wore them *below)
 
I'm definitely noticing I'm a tad more emotional.  Like when I made a comment in church yesterday and felt the tears coming on and just like LOST IT, it was so embarrassing on the inside because I just was like "WHY am I crying??"  although it was a tender story I was sharing.  Oh well, I am still a really nice girl.

Wade is my little MAN.  Really.  He learns a new word like everyday, and loves to wrestle and play.  This can turn into a slight problem with other children come over and I hear the said child crying and when I look over the child is pinned to the ground with Wade SITTING ON THE CHILD'S HEAD with a triumphant, delighted smile!  He means well, really.  Perris would be delighted himself if Wade would have done that to him!

Wade and I took a short walk today.  The best thing about Utah winters is that they are SUNNY.  (When there's not an inversion!)  It did us good to get out, especially Wade.  He was on his tippy-toes in an effort to push the stroller with his hands properly placed on the handles.  (I, of course, was fantasizing about my desired double stroller all throughout this walk...! HAH)  Wade went out on the deck the other day to shovel snow.  How thoughtful.  He loves to put on his boots, and pronounces it
"BÜT" (I hope that is the correct symbol to portray the sound I am thinking).  It is adorable.


About a month til our big trip to NY.  I just fantasize about all the food I want to eat there.  Haha!  But when thinking of its fast approach yesterday, I got a little sad!  I think it will be hard to leave Wade for a week!  But he will have a great time playing with his cousins for that time...and we are planning something nice to pay back Jami and James for their kind acceptance to take in Wade.
↧

Our Week

February 10, 2013, 2:54 pm
$
0
0
Like father, like son.  Dad sits on a bucket, Wade finds one too! (a Crisco can)  This is in one of the infamous mice cubbies.  And I just am laughing because Wade has started waking up from naps (or in the AM) and yelling, "MOM!  MOM!  MOM!"  It is so funny.  And much better than screaming!!!  I just fetched him from his crib and need to note another thing: he strokes the ends of my hair when I hold him and let's be honest, I loooove that.  Hair is my favorite thing.

I finally finished my afghan!  It took a good couple of months, but it is done and it is heavy and chunky and I love it.

 Wade had his first sledding experience on Saturday.  We drove to Walsburg and he fell asleep.  So I stayed in the car for maybe 30 minutes until he woke up, and then he watched with wide-eyed wonder (and a little nervousness) at everyone.  It helped when his buddy was sledding alone, so he finally went with Per, then with his buddy.  With the buddy, they unfortunately biffed the side of a jump someone had made and fell out onto the snow.  Wade refused his mittens, so the shock of cold on his hands AND face was very unpleasant and caused extreme distress and crying hysteria.  He has fully recovered.
 Preceding the sledding extravaganza was Madeline's baby shower, hosted by yours-truly (and Jami, of course, because Jami is the ultimate assistance to any function and deserves high credit).  It was fun.  I even made some silk flower arrangements that I quite enjoy around my house now, and a lace modge-podged "I" that I gifted Maddy (her baby will be named Ivory.  Ivie for short.  Sorry if these are things I was not supposed to reveal to the world wide web, Mad)
 Cute 35 week Maddy in her new dress that I now desire myself.   Love love love.
 Bye!!

↧
Search

My baby loves sugar

February 14, 2013, 6:06 pm
$
0
0
...I know this because right now I am diggin in some delicious BYU Creamery ice cream, "Swoosh CECIL" (it is so, so good.  Thank you my lover for picking some up for me to enjoy as I sit here doing nothing on Valentine's day evening) and my baby is doing somersaults inside of me.  He loves Cecil.  Or probs just the sugar.
Well me and his brother had a nice day today.  I made dinner at like....230pm so Perris had something to take to school tonight.  It was an awesome idea, I should do it everyday.  By dinner time, who has energy to make dinner?  Not me, most days.  But I'm kind of lazy and procrastinator-extraordinaire, so who knows if I can really commit to that.

For Valentine's day this year, my friend bought me my dream stroller.  THIS is NOT a joke.  I check craigslist EVERYDAY in manhattan, NY, for a good, used dream stroller and I found the hottest most screamin-est deal ever.  Carrie is the bomb and was on it in a flash and WE GOT IT.  I couldn't sleep the night before she was going to see it.  SERIOUSLY I was [am] THAT obsessed.  Now I just long for it when I use my other stroller.  The day when I don't have to hunch over AT ALL, and don't have to walk in a perfect line so that my big feet will not kick the wheels in front of me...I tell ya!!  Sad, isn't it.  The things I worry about.  Good grief, Ali.  There are so much more important things happening in people's lives than kicking the dang wheels on your stroller.
To any and all of you, I say HAPPY day of LOVE and I send mine to you through these words.

We look forward to this day:
"The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
The sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of they mourning shall be ended."
Isaiah 60:19-20
So beautiful!  Our God really loves us.  We can look forward to a day free of mourning, where there ain't no need for sunshine because the Lord will be here with us, providing that light in place of it!
↧

2 sad tales, but not really.

March 1, 2013, 1:36 pm
$
0
0
These stories are so sad you might want to grab your tissues.  (just kidding)

Once upon a time last week I went to a 2 day conference for my career.  The first night I didn't get home until like 7pm, and stopped at Target on the way in for some tater tots and chocolate milk (it's just what sounded good!).  I run upstairs and flip on the lightswitch: dead.  The electricity is OUT.  Curses.  I am starving.  So I wait like 10 minutes, maybe 15.  Can't wait any longer so 2 full bowls of Cherrios win as dinner.  I ate it in the dark with a flashlight.

Obviously, 2 seconds after I finish eating the lights come back on.  Darn it, I'm full and now it's just time to go to bed.  I was extremely disappointed.  My palette just wanted some savory salty goodness.  This week we had those tater tots with a meal and they didn't even taste that good.  Darn.  I am over it.  Just think its a good enough story to document :)

2nd sob story really was a little more sad.  Today W and I went to the library for story time.  He wasn't interested, I think he thought I was going to leave him there.  So in the corner, we sneakily ate our granola bar and read a few books with dogs in them, of course!  We got Tarzan for W to watch and 2 Ocean's movies for me to watch this weekend as a lone woman.  Then we go to the park.  Pretty soon a gaggle of young boys show up and one, maybe 3 or 4 years old, walks right up to W and says "Hey ____(brother/cousin), he (pointing to W) has a fat head!"  Laugh, laugh.  "Look at his fat head!"  Laugh laugh.  I am sitting there straining myself to really believe that this little child is saying "fat head" about my son!!  So he starts to say it again and I look at him and ask "He has what?"  And after a few seconds he says "He just has a bigger head than I do."  So I told him that wasn't very nice to say.  He was really a sweet little kid, but someone must call him a fat head or something!  It was a sad witness of my child's first making fun-of moment.  Good thing he's oblivious at the moment.

On to happier thoughts, here I am at 26 weeks, and Mad at 37.  She is getting so close, we are so excited for her!!  I played photographer for she & Stu.  Got some great shots.



↧
↧

Dogs

March 18, 2013, 9:58 pm
$
0
0
The past few months I have excelled greatly in my dog-drawing-abilities.  I am pretty cool like that.  All thanks to sir Wade, who, upon seeing any paper and any writing utensil repeatedly states "Doggy!  Doggy!  Doggy!"  What can we say?  We love a few things and they are dogs, snacks, horseys, and books.  And Elmo.  And being outside.  Oh yeah and trucks.  Behold, my art!  Found in very random places at all times of the day.  Notepads, scrap papers, my planner...have a look:


 Once I read an article about a little boy wanting the pink shoes and so his mom got them.  He wore them to preschool and got thousands of compliments.  Maybe one day Wade will want pink shoes.  He sure wanted his cousins, and happily wore them around the house.  Very stylish, don't you think?
 Then he got a little more masculine of an accessory...a handsome bow tie.  He is so, so handsome.
 Stay tuned for our NYC report!!

↧

Empire State of Mind: Day 1

March 19, 2013, 6:09 pm
$
0
0
Monday, March 11th we dropped off Wade at his Aunties and kissed him goodbye.  Our direct flight to JFK airport caused some swelling in the feet for 27 and 1/2 week pregnant Ali, but we survived.  We were picked up and hauled to the delightful little home, top floor of a brownstone in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, of our friends Carrie & Aaron.  This was our welcome sign:


 
Perris loves to pose.  We slept one night together on the air mattress.  I would slide right down into P...not comfortable.  So the remaining nights I took the couch and Per the mattress (which takes up the entire dining area, so we inflated and deflated every am and pm.

TUESDAY, March 12
In a word: Wet.  It rained all the live-long day.  But we were steadfast in our adventure!  We stood in line for broadway tickets and scored some for Jersey Boys the next day matinee.  Pleased with ourselves, we went back to the car where our chauffer awaited, to find the car battery dead.  FYI: surrounded by people and NYPD no one could help.  NYPD "doesn't do that anymore" and no other cars admitted to having cables.  So Carrie's landlords came to the rescue and she was off!  So were we--our first Subway ride (in NY, anyway).  We went to Grand Central Station and explored around.  Per particularly loved the Apple store, especially since we are in the market for a new computer.  There we awaited brother Beaumont.


 United with our dear brother, he immediately led us off to a spot in the station with a domed ceiling and 4 corners, a cross-point of 2 paths/halls.  I stood in one corner, Perris stood in the opposite.  We talked and could hear each other CLEAR AS DAY.  It was amazing!  Perris took a video.  Fun little things to discover all around...Then we were off to find lunch and take the tram to Roosevelt Island.



 A random Irish Pub was the winner for lunch.  Here the brothers discussed the correct method of emptying a Heinz ketchup bottle.  Then they teamed up to get it out...Beaumont as the hand-wall to hit the bottle against.  Such love.  Such unity.  Then the wet walk to the tram.  This tram goes over the river to tiny Roosevelt island.  The wind rocked that little tram back and forth as we went across.  I am not a fan of this.  Give me a harness and a rope, I'm great, but anything while free-standing and high-up gives me the willies.  We took the bus around the island for 25 cents and then continued exploring...






 My thoughts the first day were along the lines of, "What's the big deal, New York is just like any other big city I've ever been to"  (I thought a lot of Madrid while here).  But it was a little dreary of a day.  Beau took us around the cool Apple store (2 in one day!) below ground, the Plaza hotel (where we entered the lobby and there was a wedding going on.  The girl was in a 70s vintage dress, very pretty), Rockefeller Center, & 5th Ave shops.  We headed back to Grand Central afterward for a little snack (hot chocolate and a muffin for me) and facetime with Wade!  We made it back to Ben's (Beaumont's significant other) for a gourmet meal of Crawfish Etouffe and watched a movie.  To say I was tired would have been an extreme understatement.


 
(Rockefeller center and the most ridiculous face on me)

 Ben and Beaumont accompanied us on the train back towards Brooklyn.  Perris had done his first NYC research that morning and insisted we take the train to the end of the line to pass the closed stop, City Hall.  There was a flash of light and we passed it.  We were expecting something more, but had a good laugh.  In fact, that whole train ride was quite entertaining.  From the moment we got on the train, the conductor was on the intercom reminding everyone to not wait for the train too close to the edge or standing on the yellow line.  He must have had a really long day, because he just came on every few minutes to reiterate his thoughts...it was making me and Per laugh so hard.  We were riding the 6, just in case you want to know.  I know all about the 6 because J.Lo has a cd named "the six" because she always rode that line.  I know.  I know the most important facts.  Anyway, imagine this typical New York accent black man saying the following with extreme inflection in his voice:
"People.  There is danger lurking all around you."
or
"If you are standing between the cars, it's not goin' to be a good look for you!"
or
"...tin [as in ten, but said as 'tin'] cars of steel comin' towards you!"
It was excellent.

 Thanks Beau for being the artist you are, and taking one for the team when you laid on the dirty floor of the train to get this picture.  Ew.

↧

Day 2: The day I heard a four letter word 1 million times

March 23, 2013, 7:49 pm
$
0
0
Wednesday, March 23rd
Late were our nights and early our mornings!  We had plans for a very pricey brunch place, but we opted for Carrie's french toast and a longer morning time instead.  It was a good choice!  It was a beautiful sunny day.  Much appreciated after the rain...
 Off we went to meet Beau at the MET.  We got off at 86th street and starting walking.  Unfortunately, unbeknownst to ourselves, we walked west instead of east (coming out of the subways in this city is like coming up in the middle of an ocean.  You have no idea which way is which), coming to a park (which we were expecting to find Central Park) with a doggie area.  Thrilled, we did facetime with Wade to show him all the dogs and had a nice little rest.  Then as we walked further, we realized the streets were going UP instead of DOWN.  Whoops.  It was a long way out of the way.  But we passed this beautiful church, which was enjoyable.  So we FINALLY walk back and find the real Central Park & Beau, with like 45 minutes until(and 30+ blocks away from) our Broadway show!  And on top of it all of course the 28 week pregnant lady has already been walking forever and now we have to hustle walk through the park!  But it was BEAUTIFUL and I wish we could have walked slower and enjoyed it a little more.

 (the wrong direction doggie park)


 This monument (according to tour guide Beau) came from Egypt as a gift, and is older than Cleopatra?

 Our first (of 2) taxi cab rides in the city.  We caught one at the south end of the Park with like 8 minutes til showtime!  We made it outside the theatre with 2 minutes to spare.  I knew I needed to go potty, but it was too late.  I made it through!
 Enter the 2 hours where I heard more repetitions of a profane word than ever in my life.  But, I had read the reviews and honestly I was expecting it to be even WORSE.  But I was SO enthralled and caught up in the music (and bobbing my head.  Just like the rows of gray-haired women in front and in back of me.  It was so cute.) that I really actually loved this show.  It doesn't have a super happy ending, which really gets to Must-Solve-All-Problems-Perris, so he wasn't a big fan.  I had NO idea who Franky Valli and the Four Seasons were, but I knew basically all of their songs.  I know my Mom would have LOVED the music, and kept thinking of her throughout.  I was really glad we got to see a show, and would have loved to do that the entire time.
 Dinner was at Bobby Flay's SHAKE SHACK.  I really liked it!  Especially the strawberry shake.  And cheese fries.  Delish.  Beau met back up with us and we walked through Times Square and Bryant Park.  It was lovely!  We took the train back to Brooklyn a bit early to go hear our hostess, Carrie, speak at an event "Lectures on Faith" about her trials of faith with 2 siblings taking their lives within a year or so of each other.  She is awesome, we are so glad we could go and listen.  We have been friends for like 10 years now, I am so grateful to know her!



 View from Bryant Park

Carrie the professional (and funny) orator

 Junior's Cheesecake was our late-night treat.  Very yummy!  Thanks Kim E for the suggestion.  We thought of you that night :)


↧
Viewing all 145 articles
Browse latest View live
Search