April in Photos

My boys, watchin' a little Baby Einstein.

Who has the cutest hair ever?

Playgroups make Jonah squeal with delight.

I eat my veggies.


Nacho Libre (my good friend, Ryan) cruisin' our street.

Spend a weekend hanging out with Elaine, one of my dearest friends (she lives in Houston).

My good friend Avalie meets us for Brandon's birthday lunch. Hadn't seen her in almost a year, she's just as funny as ever.

My SIL, Katie's and her boyfriend, Jason, head off to her senior prom.

Lisa dressed him...



This was Jonah's first trip to the zoo where he is old enough to appreciate it. It was so fun to watch him watch the animals!! I got season passes if anyone in UT ever wants to join me, I've got a ticket for you.

One of less than 10 white (not albino) alligators in the world. See it now at Hogle Zoo.

Has it Really Been Three Years??

Lisa and I have been friends since 6th grade. She lives in New York, I live in Utah. We talk on the phone almost every week. It's been three years since the last time we saw each other (I visited her at her home on Long Island). She now lives in Westchester County, has a new job, and a puppy and I have almost two children. Lots has changed, but some things never do.


Lunch on Saturday with the Jensens after Katie's half-marathon at Red Butte Cafe on Foothill Dr. Tasty! (I need mascara).

We went up to the cabin for a BBQ on Sunday.


She arrived Thursday afternoon. I showed her son, my house, my cats, etc. We stayed up late talking. Friday we had a girl's night out. We went and got massages in Provo, went out to dinner at Carrabba's (delish), and saw 27 Dresses (fun chick flick!) at the dollar theater. Saturday we went to the zoo with Brandon and Jonah and to lunch with the Jensens. Spent the evening watching Scrubs mostly. Sunday we hung out at home and then went with my boys up to the cabin to make some burgers and check out how spring is coming along up there (the snow is starting to melt). Monday her flight was cancelled and she had to leave two hours earlier than planned. It was a very nice, relaxing trip. We had a great time together, we always do.

April?

(photo from earlier this month)

It's snowing here. It's almost May. Somethin' just ain't right.

Barefoot and Pregnant

This captures a pretty typical moment in my everyday life; using the electric broom to tidy up around the highchair while Jonah follows me around in my cluttered kitchen.

Happier Birthday

Here's some pictures of Brandon on his birthday weekend looking a bit more chipper. He did have a ridiculously high fever in the evenings though.

7 1/2 Months Along

I realized that compared to my last pregnancy, I have taken very few pictures of my belly. Here's a few shots of me on Saturday (thanks to Elaine) wearing my tight non-maternity top that got me a lot of long stares at The Cheesecake Factory.

Yesterday

Brandon's 31st birthday was yesterday. I made him a chocolate stout cake with coconut pecan frosting. Our best couple friends, the Pettits, were in town all weekend and we had a ball together. More pictures and stories to come.

The Ultimate Food Survey

What is your favorite cuisine?
Nepali, Italian, Indian, Mexican, Thai, Japanese - in that order

What is your favorite dessert?
I'm not real picky, I love the sweet stuff. Homemade cookies (no bakes, choc chip, oatmeal, etc.), ice cream, rootbeer floats, pie, cake, creme brulee...

What is your favorite breakfast?
.good blueberry muffins, pine-orange banana juice, bacon
.french toast, bacon or sausage links, oj
.my homemade banana bread in a bowl with milk poured over it and heated up
(Can you tell I'm a carb lover?)
I love hash browns too!

What is your favorite dinner?
Dhal bhat, a fabulous pasta dish, chicken tikka masala, green thai curry, La Puente or La Frontera's smothered burritos with cheese, Thanksgiving (smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, Jen's cornbread sausage & cranberry stuffing with pinenuts added, a cranberry dish, etc.) ...

Favorite lunch??
.a pint of great homemade salsa, chips, and homemade refried beans
.a great burrito

Comfort foods?
.canned Campbell's cream of tomato soup with pepper and tons of saltines (preferably while watching Perry Mason)
.fried corn tortillas

Other favorite foods unmentioned?
french fries, fruit, mashed potatoes, italian vegtables (tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, artichokes), my tomato crab bisque, Mom's cranberry orange jello salad, Linda's carrot cake and a variety of her other dishes, Lisa's cranberries n' cream, Michael's caesar salad, Alisha's black bean soup, Pawena's green curry, anything Nepali that Smeeta makes... (I like not having to cook even though I enjoy it)

Favorite spices?
Curry, cumin, fresh ginger, garlic, cilantro, basil...

Travel food experiences:
.Pretty much every plate of dhal bhat I had in Nepal was pure heaven, the momos there were fantastic too.
.The tortilla soup they serve at the poolside restaurant at the Girasol Sur condos in Puerto Vallarta was incredible as are tacos and tamales from street vendors everywhere I've been in Mexico.
.New York City and San Francisco were all around culinary delights.
.The Tony Newcomb Chili Cookoff in Oklahoma City in August is one of my all-time favorite events as well as the Clam Chowder tasting festival on Nantucket island in fall.
.Our trip to Louisianna brought us the delights of dirty rice, meat pies, red beans & rice, etc. I'd never had authentic southern food before and I enjoyed it:)

Once in a lifetime food experiences:
.The inside out german chocolate cake that Alan & Linda had at their wedding (I got the recipe but it is something I know I will never take the time to make)
.Nepal

Cooking fiasco story?
I can't think of a particular one (feel free to remind me), but pretty much every time we invite someone over for dinner the meal is taking longer than I expected

Most memorable meal you ever made?
.Possibly the time I made Sara Jane's Sour Cream Chicken (a favorite for company) and Sarah's Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Carmel Sauce (everyone asked for the recipe) for three couples without little kids at our apartment on halloween night
.Thanksgivings are always memorable too (with McBrides, Jensens, Pettits, Rajaratnams, etc.)
.fondue night with Lacey

Favorite Restaurants?
I'm not really sure, I just don't like eating at chains. I like Ajanta in OKC as well as Bravos there. I don't eat out all that much. Spicy Lady in Heber has great ambiance but Snake Creek Grill has much better food.

I tag you all!

Engagement Announcement

My brother Teddy (8 years my junior) got engaged on Friday night to his adorable Lauren K. Congratulations! The wedding date is set for Sept. 18th (two days before my birthday). I will be there! Ted leaves for a money-making summer in Seattle in three weeks and will be gone for four months - poor Lauren.

The Omnivore's Dilema

Everyone should read this book!

Here's a quote from the last page that kind of encapsulates the whole thing, "But imagine for a moment if we once again knew...these few unremarkable things: What it is we're eating. Where it came from. How it found its way to our table. And what, in a true accounting, it really cost."
It took me exactly 30 days to read this book (411 pages). It was facinating and engrossing. It moved more quickly for me after the first section.

The book is divided into three sections, here is a little of what I learned from each:

Section 1: Corn
We grow a ridiculous amount of corn in this country because the government subsidizes farmers for it.
We eat a lot more corn than we realize and Americans use corn for all sorts of things.
There are 38 ingredients in a McDonalds chicken nugget. Thirty-eight!
Cows are not meant to eat corn, but because it is a rich, cheap source of calories, we feed it to them anyway.
If you are what you eat, Americans are processed corn.

Personal goal:
I am going to start eating only grass-fed beef instead of grain-fed whenever possible.

Section 2: Grass

I learned a lot about organic farming.
Americans don't seem to care where there food comes from, they just want it cheap and not because they couldn't afford to spend a little more on it.
Sustainable farming is facinating.
I seldom notice how unseasonaly we eat these days (lamb in spring, asparagus in winter, etc.).
Great quote:
"For example, if the sixteen million acres now bing used to grow corn to feed cows in the United States became well-managed pasture, that would remove fourteen billion pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road."

Personal goal:
Support local farmers, meat producers, etc. (I joined a CSA).

Section 3: The Forest
Facinating section, especially if you like to cook.
Mushroom hunting would be fun to try sometime.

Personal goals:
Eat meat only from humanely treated animals.
Continue buying eggs only from free-range chickens.

What's Goin' On

Well, I suppose there have been a few things happening.
Jonah and I have decided to get out of the house more and be more social. We now try to go to story-time at the library every week. Jonah likes it mostly for following around other kids. We've only been to Parents & Tots Yoga the one time, but we'd really like to go again. Last week we went to playtime at the local Rec Center and that was great. We got to go to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum with Stephanie (Brandon's cousin's wife) and her four kids one day, which was fantastic. We'd love to do that again soon.

Today we are going to Movies on Mondays (MOM) in Sandy with Ashly (Brandon's other cousin's wife) and her two kids. The Megaplex theaters play a movie every Monday around noon with the house lights partially up and the sound a little down. It's $5 for moms and free for kids under five. Today they're playing Horton Hears a Who. Tomorrow is our first playgroup. Jonah and I invited several moms from my ward, my online Park City Moms group, etc. to join us at our house to play. I think it's going to become a weekly thing, though maybe not always at our house. We are supposed to have 8 moms and 13 kids here tomorrow!!!
Other than our adventures, not a lot happening. I picked out family pictures (it was easy cause Jonah was only smiling in one and B and I looked good in it too), so we should have those hung up later this week. Got the brakes on my car replaced. My laptop has died (fortunately we recovered all my pictures first). I've been called to teach in Relief Society (the women's class at church) once every other month and am thrilled about that. My first lesson was last Sunday (on John the Baptist) and it went well.
Jonah now says "night, night" and "light". He blows on things now too. He can stand up without any assistance from a wall or a leg now as well. He still rubs his hair whenever we lay him down to sleep. After I brushed his teeth the other evening he looked it the mirror and did his cheesy super-grin to check out his clean teeth, which totally cracked me up. He points at everything. He has four teeth on top and two on bottom and I suspect he's getting a top and bottom molar on the right side soon.
I am seven months along now and getting a bit uncomfortable. My back and my sciatic nerve have been bugging me the past three days or so. It feels like my little girl is still doing gymnastics in there so she's still got room and yet she's pushing up on my right ribs just like Jonah did, which makes me hurt in various different ways and makes me worry she'll flatten one side of her head and have to wear a helmet too. We still have no idea what to name her and are totally open to your suggestions.
Today we received our first Winder Farms delivery. Milk, bread, butter, cheese, etc. all delivered to a cooler on our doorstep! Wonderful. We are excited to support this local dairy who doesn't use hormones or antibiotics on their dairy cows and to have the convenience of always having basic groceries on-hand (this will be especially useful when the new baby first arrives!).
Well, that's about all I can think of at the moment. Oh, except it snowed all day yesterday and I made pork chops with a ginger-pear topping last night (which I've made once or twice before) which was to-die for. Yum! Email me if you want the recipe.

Mix Up

I used to get Robert Dinero (confused with Al Paccino by many) and Dustin Hoffman confused. After I finally cleared that up in my brain I developed an uncanny knack for figuring out what show I'd seen an actor/actress in before. Today I was watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding (hadn't seen it since it came out and thoroughly enjoyed it) and I was certain that the woman who played Aunt Voula was the same woman who played the Qypsy Queen in The 10th Kingdom (one of my favorite movies). I looked it up on imdb and I was WRONG. Do you see how I could have made the mistake though?

Andrea Martin

Eve Pearce

Happy Easter

Last Saturday's Easter Egg Hunt in Park City.




Yesterday's hunt in Sandy.

Sister Time

I spent all week hanging out with Robin and her family.

You're Missing Out

On March 5th and 7th I posted some really funny (and short) youtube clips on here (Very Politically Incorrect and Better Than Ebert) and I don't think any of you watched them. Shame on you!

An Apple a Day

Yesterday Jonah picked up an apple that his cousin Charlotte had dropped. Being the smart boy that he is, Jonah knew it was not a ball to play with. He bit into it. I took it away, not thinking him capable of eating an apple without it being cut into much smaller pieces but when he managed to swallow his taste of the peel I gave it back to him after washing it.


I think Jonah spent a full hour eating this little apple. He never choked and he ate just about every single bite. It was entertainment as well as an appetizer.



I don't know why this one makes me laugh so.



Cousin Tucker reading to Jonah.



Sharing with cousin Henry aka: little Hank.



Me holding all that was left.

Illegal

I am posting these pictures illegally, they are copyrighted.

I am breaching this copyright because I spent over $600 at this studio and I think that should give me the right to my proofs. My inlaws actually gave me $400 to specifically use this particular photography studio for Jonah's one year portraits. (They turned out fantastic but I'm not convinced I couldn't have spent half as much for something I liked equally well).

Enjoy!


This is the one we ordered a large print of to frame in our front hall.



I ordered a black & white 5x7 of this (and asked them to digitally remove the drool off his bottom lip).


Brandon's favorite so I ordered him a 5x7 for his office.



Jonah's trademark "oh face".



A good photographer just keeps shooting and ends up with great shots like this.

We ordered my favorite and Brandon's other favorite (different outfit too) in wallets. Some of you will be receiving copies in the mail in the future.

New Toy

Not for Jonah, for Brandon

Last Friday Brandon bought himself a motorcycle. It is street legal but he never goes very far on it. He mostly got it so that he can ride it around up above his dad's cabin when all the snow is gone.

In a twist of fate, Brandon aquired yet another motorcycle yesterday. It is similar to the pictured one, but sits a little higher and is not street legal but is just a dirt bike. It will move up to the cabin permanently and the other one will mostly be for riding to and from work on nice days. The newest bike was a trade. Brandon is doing his assistant's father-in-law's dental work in exchange for the bike (a couple root canals and maybe more). He says the first bike can be mine after the baby comes. Riiiight. He is currently in the garage changing the oil on both bikes, organizing his tools, and just generally tooling around. I bet he feels very manly.

Running Crazy

A couple days ago, Jonah woke up with crazy hair.




He is fast when he has assistance from his walker!

Just in the past few days since we've been home, Jonah has started doing new things:
1- A new smile, slightly devilish looking
2- Monster voice, not just his occassional growl
3- Walking more than crawling
4- Wanting to be held more

Also, about two weeks ago he started touching his or my hair when he's tired and most of the time when I pick him up, he immediately starts caressing my hair. I love it.

I can no longer be in the same room with him while I talk on the phone, he simply won't have it, he throws a fit and is just too loud. He thinks the phone is HIS.

Very Politically Incorrect

Ladies and Gentlemen, Daniel Tosh. So wrong, and yet SO funny. I never have seen someone frown while on a wave runner. (2:50)