Sunshine

It's still raining. Now, I'm a big fan of rain, but the lack of sunshine is really getting to me. Fortunately there are other things to brighten my days, such as...


Free Concerts. Brandon's cousin is married to the keyboard player of the country band, Diamond Rio. They played in Shawnee, OK on Thursday night. They are fantastic live. I've seen them in concert three times, in three different states, never with Brandon. This time B had to work on a crown at the lab at school. Getting done is more important than entertainment. I took Lacey as my date instead. Here's the whole gang. Me, Lacey, Jamon (B's cousin), Alisha (Jamon's wife), Randi (Josh's wife), Josh (Jamon's nephew), and Greg (Josh's dad).


Jonah is my sunshine, he makes me happy when skies are grey.


Here's me and Jo at a bridal shower this afternoon. When Camila was 17 I was one of her young women's leaders at church, she's 21 now and getting married on Friday. It was fun seeing people from my old ward (we split a year ago).

Record Breaker

It has been raining for 15 days straight here in Oklahoma City. That is a record-breaker on our weather reports. But basically it's been raining since February. I've never seen such a wet year, admittedly I've only lived here four years.

I feel real empathy for my BIL, Trent, who lived in Seattle during its wettest winter ('98/'99); 90 out of 120 days were rainy that winter.


One good outcome of all this rain, I've never seen Black-eyed Susans in bloom like this before. They are everywhere!

Another weather note: Brandon thinks he heard someone on the weather report on the radio say "winding", a word my brother, Ted, coined when he was a child.

Flying Jonah

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Talk about a happy baby...

Mark

Mark and I are ten years apart, almost to the day. He is the seventh of our nine kids, but appeared to be the last for a full six years as our baby. He is almost 19 now and is preparing for a mission for our church. When he was very little he earned the nickname Smudge, fortunately that faded out before it got around to the kids at school.

Mark and Ted were nearly inseparable as children, though Mark was always the more mischievous of the two. (I forgot to mention how much Ted hated the feel of towels/terrycloth!). Mark was a lot more style-conscious than Ted in high school, he only liked to wear certain brands, styles, colors. Mark is tidy, meticulous, and careful. Mark cleans his room, takes care of his skin, keeps his bathroom tidy, etc. Mark is dependable, reliable, responsible. Sarah says Mark is the best babysitter. You can count on Mark.

Mark has a dry, hysterical sense of humor. Mark knows how to handle Mom better than anyone else. Mark is honest and he will call you out on your dishonesties or exaggerations. Mark likes my cooking, which always earns anyone bonus points in my book. Mark is easy to talk to. Mark shares his feelings, which is rare for a teenage boy.

I love you, Mark!

Later Today

Stiff legs pose.

Moments later.



Head x-rays. We're taking these x-rays to a neurosurgeon in two weeks just to see if Jonah's flat spot will go away on its own or if we need to get him "the helmet."

On the way to get the x-rays, the fan belt in my car broke. Fun.

Movin' Right Along

This used to be my dining room.
We spent all weekend beginning to pack for our move. First we gave away our old dining table and chairs so we'd have somewhere to put boxes.

Yesterday Jonah rolled all the way over from his back to his belly for the first time. It has made naptime interesting ever since. He moves a lot for a kid who can't crawl. Yesterday he went from back to belly and rotated 90 degrees in about 5 minutes. He can roll from his belly to his back right OR left now too. He's a little wiggler. Just now I had to let him cry for 4 minutes before he fell asleep for a nap, I went in to check on him 10 minutes later, he was on his tummy, smashed up against the crib-posts, so I had to move him and roll him over. We don't have bumpers. Is that good or bad?
Other new stuff with Jonah: he likes to grab his feet when he lays on his back (very cute). He likes to grab, scratch, and pinch. He is going to be a cheerio grabbing pro when he starts eating solids, I swear. I like to hear him scratch his sheet/mattress when he lays on his back in bed. He likes carnations. He likes cats. He likes trees.

Yesterday morning Jonah and I went to the zoo. We had a great time. It was warm and very humid. Jonah liked the part of the path that was in a bamboo forest. He liked the Feathers and Fins show almost as much as I did. We finally got to see the Butterfly exhibit I've been excited about, it wasn't very exciting. I still think the bat exhibit is the coolest thing there. The bears made me a little nervous since I just heard about the 11 yr. old boy in Utah who was killed by one last week. The crocodiles made me a little nervous too. I'm a bit overprotective. I was craving chicken nuggets on the way home so I made my semi-annual visit to McDonalds for a Happy Meal. They had the weirdest thing there, a kiosk for dvd rentals, a dollar a night. Might have to go back and check that out more closely.

Rent Arrested Development (seasons 1- 3 are all there are), it makes me laugh so hard. I love watching So You Think You Can Dance.

More later.

Personality Test

I am an Animated Creator.
Your imagination, confidence, willingness to explore, and appreciation of beauty make you a CREATOR.
You are outgoing, comfortable with others, and up for anything, which makes you ANIMATED.

Confidence 86
Openness 74
Extroversion 86
Empathy 44
Trust in others 92
Agency 66
Masculinity 34
Femininity 78
Spontaneity 30
Attention to style 62
Authoritarianism 66
Imaginative Earthy 52
Functional Aesthetic 68




My personalDNA Report

You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.

You prefer to have time to plan for things, feeling better with a schedule than with keeping plans up in the air until the last minute.

Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.

You are able to be yourself in many situations.

Sometimes it is hard for you to understand why others feel the way they do, but that doesn't stop you from trusting them or having faith that they are good people.

You know the world is complicated and that there is often more than one side to a story, so you are careful not to make judgments about others too hastily.

You are an independent thinker and don't get too worried about how others might perceive you—you are not self-conscious about being the active, engaged person that you are.

Happy Father's Day

To the sexiest dad of them all.


To my dad, Stan. Dad has always been a wonderful example. He works hard and comes home to play. Dad was around a lot more than many other dads and I loved spending time with him. I still get nostalgic for Saturday "dates" with dad when I go into a hardware store. My dad is extremely knowledgeable. He is still the one I call with questions on history, home buying, religion, current events, sports, and even some cooking. I value my father's opinion in everything. Dad made all of his kids independent and goofy. We are all hard workers, non-picky eaters, who love to read. Thanks Dad!


To a snuggly dad.


To Alan, the best father-in-law a girl could ever ask for. Alan is a great dad, his kids always know that he loves them and supports them. He is very generous, very forgiving, very fun.



To a teddy bear of a dad.
Michael has been a wonderful stepdad to Brandon (and Andy). He is a cute father to his two girls and a darling grandpa for Jonah. Michael sets a great example of hard work and also is very intelligent and funny.


To my brother, Adam (with his daughter, Moqui). Adam is a wonderful dad, a strict disciplinarian and also a lot of fun. I love the consistency with which Adam parents, he means what he says and he shows a lot of love.


To my brother-in-law, Trent (with Jonah). Trent is one of the cutest dads I know, so in love with kids and such a sweet daddy.


Fathering has come so naturally to Brandon. He is not just good at entertaining Jonah, but at calming him and taking care of his needs too.


To Jamon (Brandon's cousin). Seen here with Brandon taking their kids on a walk. Jamon is a fun dad who really wants his daughter to learn and love and grow and thrive.

A Special Treat

This is one and a half minutes of pure joy. This is a special treat if you have not yet met Jonah, but a treat for anyone who likes babies, especially mine. Here you will see him giggle, roll over, chatter, and giggle some more.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

New and Improved

Last night I slept for 6.5 hours uninterrupted! That's the longest since Jonah has been born (4.5 months). I count last night as the first official sleeping thru the night. I pray for a continuation of blissful rest for us both. Is it a coincidence that last night there was LOUD rain and thunder all night AND was Jonah's first night in his new crib and on a real mattress? I dunno.

This evening while I was making dinner, Brandon sat Jonah in his Bumbo seat in front of the TV to watch Baby Einstein for a few minutes while he packed a box (we began packing for the move today). Jonah started laughing pretty hard, which he has never done during the video before. We both went over to see what part he found so funny. He was watching happily but not laughing anymore when we went over. We both continued what we were doing and he continued to laugh periodically. Suddenly Brandon said, "I think he's laughing at the sound of this tape dispenser." He was putting together a bunch of boxes. So we tried testing it, sure enough, he started to laugh every time the tape made that loud noise. We brought him over closer to us, away from the TV, to continue the experiment. Sure enough, Jonah thinks the squeeky sound of tape is the funniest thing in the world (next to his parents). We got a bit of it on video and if B ever gets off my laptop, I'll attempt to post it.

Yesterday

Long morning: eating, playing, napping, eating, playing,a poopslosion, a shower, snuggling & singing in my hooded towel.


Afternoon: UPS package arrived while I spun 180s on the floor. Mom put together a new gadget, just like the one she had as a baby. Here's me in my Johnny Jump Up.

Heber City, UT

The Heber Creeper, a small railroad that goes from Heber City to Provo via Provo Canyon, past Bridal Veil falls.

Brandon, Jonah, and I have chosen to make Heber City, Utah our new home. It is in a beautiful mountain valley between Park City and Provo, about an hour from Salt Lake City. Heber has incredible opportunities for fly fishing, hiking, backpacking in the nearby Uinta Mountains, golfing, fishing, watersports, snowsports, and more!


Jordanelle, Deer Creek, and Strawberry reservoirs is where you will find us slolem skiing and wakeboarding during the summers, fishing & camping too.


Heber Valley.

The average low temperature in winter: 24.7 degrees F.
Heber average annual snowfall: 55 inches per year.
The average high temperature in summer: 89.9 degrees F.

We hope our friends and family will visit us frequently in our new town.

Mulligatawny Soup

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala (can substitute with Allspice)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cups dried lentils
8 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups cooked basmati rice
Lemon wedges

Preparation
Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add garam masala and next 4 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add lentils; stir until coated. Add chicken broth. Bring soup to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 25 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
Stir in chicken (turkey works too), coconut milk, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide rice among bowls. Pour soup over. Garnish with lemon wedges; serve.

Makes 4 main courses. Delicious!!! Brandon and I both adore it.

Robin, you probably won't like this, too curry-ish.

Free Entertainment

If you haven't watched Will Ferrell's new short video called The Landlord, you are missing out. Some people are kind of scandalized by it, I think it's hysterical. I've watched it about 6 times in the past couple weeks. Here's the link to the Funny or Die website to see it since I don't know how/if I can post it here on my blog.
http://www.funnyordie.com/v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925

Hello

So there!
Doesn't he look tough? No?!!

So, it's official, we are moving to Utah. I swore I wouldn't go back and now I'm on my way. I'm happy about it too. We are moving into the in-laws cabin while we house hunt. The official moving date is July 12th, only a month from today. Wowzers!

Teddy

Teddy James was born when I was eight. He is the sixth child in our family. I wish I had a copy of his first grade picture, it looks exactly like mine only without braids.


This photo is entitled, The Evil "Twin" Baby Brothers. It was thus named by my best friend Lisa during Jr. High when it was taken. Teddy is only 21 months older than Mark and when they were younger they were often mistaken as twins, in fact one of them once told us about twins in their kindergarten class who had the same birthday. I believe it was Sarah that had to explain that they were not in fact twins because all twins shared a birthday. Ted said, "Can you believe it, Mark? We're not even twins."
Ted used to carry around this knife sharpener and use it as a sword and would often say, "Hallo, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die."

Ted has always been a night owl for as long as I can remember. He has always loved to read and to have alone time. Ted is vivacious and funny. Everybody likes Ted. Ted is extremely easy going. Ted is athletic. Ted loves to eat.
Ted and my husband, Brandon have a great bond. They both like to read (especially fantasy), play Ultimate Frisbee, toss the football, play Dungeons & Dragons and chess. I am so glad they are friends.

In high school Teddy was on the cross country track team and also did wrestling. He ran one of the fastest miles in the state. I wish I could remember his best time.



This is the most recent picture I have of just Ted and I.

Ted is currently living in Madagascar, he has been there for over a year. He is serving a full-time mission for our church. Ted speaks Malagasy and French. Ted will be home next February. I can't wait to see him again and to introduce him to Jonah! He is a good uncle.

Avoidance Behavior

I should be planning my Relief Society lesson for tomorrow. I should be showering. I should be napping. I could be vacuuming or cleaning the litterbox, instead I am blogging.
I know I owe you all a blog about Teddy, it will have to be next week.
I am exhausted.
Wednesday night I cooked chicken & pasta with pesto & tomatoes for Lacey and her friend Darby (great name, right?). Jonah slept like an angel while we hot-tubbed and gabbed.
Thursday I went to the gym, did laundry, and fretted over all the clothes getting ruined in our rusty, barely working dryer. Jonah slept for 45 minutes while I did speed walking on the treadmill. Good boy! Thursday night Maris and Lacey came over for dinner but I was too tired to cook so I ordered pizza. Brandon had a great meeting with Dr. McNaughton, the only dentist in Heber City who is hiring.
Friday Jonah and I went to Old Navy and the mall. We had to go to the mall to replace a $10 shirt that got thrown away last week (left in a bag under an empty shoe box) and to shop Yankee Candle's semi-annual clearance.
For dinner I made Mulligatawny soup. I took some over to Bekah & Ike and their 11-day old son, Asher. Sandra informed me that she had been put on bedrest so she couldn't come over for dinner and a movie afterall, so Jennifer and I went over there with soup in-tow. Jonah wouldn't sleep there so we went home early without watching movie. Brandon interviewed with Dr. Knight & Dr. Knight in Park City.
Today Sandy came over to do visiting teaching with me, Jonah had an extra-long morning nap, so we left an hour later than planned but had a fun time chatting anyway. We visited a lady in assisted living, she was most happy to see the baby, so were most the other people there. Jonah made everyone's day. Sandy and I had a deliscious lunch at Bravos while Jo had a little nap.
Hopefully Brandon is currently working out the logistics of taking the job with Dr. M and maybe doing a little househunting.
Tonight I have a wedding reception to go to. We have certainly not lacked for company or things to do while B has been gone but it will sure be nice to get him back tomorrow night.

Where is Thumbkin?

Where is Thumbkin is currently Jonah's favorite song, that and the entire Red Hot Chili Pepper's Greatest Hits album. Yesterday we bought Jonah a Bumbo seat, it is a soft foam seat designed for babies who cannot sit on their own yet. It supports them in an upright position without straps and helps them develop neck and core muscles and learn to sit on their own. As you can see he is very cute and grown up looking in it. Whoever invented the thing is a billionaire now after a couple years of having it on the market winning awards galore and becoming the new "must-have" item. We love it. We put it on a kitchen chair next to us so we could reach him and had him sit with us at lunch today, he loved it.


Not only is Jonah into sucking on his fingers all the time, lately he especially likes to suck on his thumb and pointer finger and try to grab his tongue.
He has not rolled over since that first day but he spends a lot more time on his side and stomach now instead of his back, so hopefully this will all help rid him of the flat head (his is flat on the right-side instead of the back cause that is how he always lays, is that normal?).
Today while shopping for a wedding gift for one of Brandon's cousins, Jonah sang at full volume for about 15 minutes in the department store. We got a lot of comments from fellow shoppers and employees.
Well, that's about all that's new with my boy. Brandon left for Utah this afternoon. He has interviews for the next couple days. Exciting!! I have dinner dates with girlfriends for the next 3 nights so I don't get too lonely. I'll keep you all posted...

Weekend

Well, it was quite the weekend.
Friday we picked Alan and Linda up at the airport at 5pm. We went to Cattlemen's Steakhouse, the oldest continuously operating restaurant (since 1910) in Oklahoma city, for dinner. I had to feed Jonah in the car right before the steaks came out (but after the salad) and then try to get him to sleep in his carseat while I was eating, so I didn't enjoy the meal as much as I should have, but I really enjoyed the company, the conversation, and the atmosphere beforehand, as it took a long time to get our steaks. We spent the later part of the evening just hanging out at our apartment.
Saturday morning was spent mostly playing with Jonah at our place. Ryan and Elaine arrived at our house around 11:30 am. Alan, Brandon, Linda, and Ryan headed off shopping, while Elaine and I talked while Jonah slept and I altered my evening's dress. Elaine and I then headed to the mall to get me some shoes, eat some lunch, and see Brandon's mom & 2 of his sisters who were shopping also. Jonah loved riding in the snugli carrier facing outward to see all the sights of the mall.
Jonah spent the evening with GG Vivian, aunt Vivi, and aunt Tori while Brandon, Elaine, Ryan, Alan, Linda, Lisa, Michael, and I went to the OU Dental School senior class dinner and social. We had a great time. Michael and Ryan never got to see Jonah awake all day and were disappointed. We hung out on Vivian's deck for awhile chatting before picking Andrea and Katie (B's other 2 sisters) up at the airport.
Had the P.s and all the J.s over to our house hanging out. The 8 of us played poker til 1 and then when Ryan, Elaine, Alan, and Linda headed back to their hotel. B, his sisters, and I stayed up later than I've been up probably in a year and a half! Fun night though.
Sunday morning we all hung out with the baby for a bit and got ready. At 11:30 the whole gang met up at La Baguette Bistro for brunch. It was fun seeing B with all four of his sisters and both sets of parents. It was great having our best friends here from Houston too. Dropped Jonah off with a babysitter and then headed down to Norman for the actual graduation. The ceremony was very nice, especially the bagpipers. Brandon's dad got to "hood" him as a doctor. After the graduation, Katie, Alan, and Linda headed home to Utah. Katie flies to Paris tomorrow for 3 weeks with her french class. Ryan, Elaine, Brandon, Andy, and I went to one of B's classmate's parent's house/mansion for a dinner party and Jonah went with the M. for dinner with Michael's family. Then we all headed to hang out on Vivian's deck again.
Everyone had 6am flights home this morning to get back for work and such. Back to life as usual for a couple more weeks:)

Rollin'

Jonah just rolled over! Twice! Then he was tired out and had to take a nap.
He has been able to roll from his back or tummy to his side for awhile now, but just now he rolled from his tummy to his back. What a strong little man!