Today is our Anniversary

We were married 5 years ago today.

(and it was a Wednesday back then too)

I was worried that there is just too much going on in our lives right now to really take a night off and celebrate. Lets just say that there are a lot of things that need to get done in the next week and a half...and they are BIG things. But luckily we got to steal away tonight with some wood-fired pizza and a visit to the temple. There is really nothing like the feeling I get when I step inside the temple. It is like peace and comfort are infused in the air and I can't help but breath it in. Then all the really important stuff becomes so clear and obvious that I wonder how I managed to spend so much time sweating the small stuff.

What did I get Andrew for our anniversary? An oil & vinegar pourer. That's right. A little bottle that holds oil and vinegar and dispenses them in the perfect ratio for bread dipping. Romantic? Extravagant? No, not really. It paled in comparison to his awesome gift for me (no surprise there) but whenever Andrew pours balsamic vinegar it always spills down the side of the bottle and he is so annoyed. True love is noticing the small stuff right? 

That day, back on April 25, 2007, was a great day. Perfect weather (surprising since it snowed a week before). Perfect ceremony. Perfect simple reception. We were really really happy. But when I had a chance tonight to think about what has come since then, namely two adorable wild men named Luke and Cam, I realized that today is a much better day. We are a little wiser now (not much) and have overcome a few challenges (248 down, 6 billion to go). Our faces are irreversibly rounder. Hopefully we're a little better now then we were back then. At least that is what we will toast to with our San Pellegrino tonight (mineral water...try it..you'll like it).

Dad Bleeds Blue

We were at the mall last week to exchange a shirt that I had bought for Andrew (wrong size). Luke saw the shirt and asked Andrew what is was:

Andrew: This is Daddy's new shirt.
Luke: [puzzled] That no Daddy's shirt. It don't have "Y" on it.

I know that I tease Andrew all the time about all his BYU shirts, but the fact that Luke finally noticed is truly hilarious. Luke also mentioned it another time but I can't remember the exact conversation. I think I will keep slowly trying to increase Andrew's non-BYU shirt supply. Bless his bleeding blue heart. Even 3-year olds are starting to notice!

p.s. I'll give a quarter to whoever can find a picture of Andrew on this blog where he is NOT wearing a BYU shirt.

Kid Art Question

Alright, seasoned pro Moms, it is time to dispense your advice.

Luke brings home several art pieces from preschool each week. I keep most of them (as long as it is reasonably in one piece). Sometimes I display them, otherwise they go into a folder designated for his art work. But this folder is starting to get FULL. So today I took pictures of all of them, kept one of two of the ones I like most, and I'm about to throw away the rest.

Question: Am I going to regret this? I know I won't today or tomorrow, or even a few years from now. But maybe when Luke is really old and moves away and I want to hold something that he made when he was a child. Not just see it in a picture, but actually hold it and think about his tiny hands putting it together. When I get to that day, will I be mad at myself for throwing the rest of it away as if it wasn't worth keeping? What do you do with your child's homemade things?

Ultimately, we just don't have the space for any hoarding around here (though this folder of art work hardly takes up any space when compared with other things). I guess I'm just wondering... am I going to regret this or am I having a brief case of "over-sentimentality"?

Night Conversations

Lately I've been responding to Luke's requests after I tuck him in bed and he tip toes quietly down the stairs after me and sweetly says, "Mom...lay down next to me".

I'm a complete sucker! I can't say no to that sweet little voice that works so hard to string that little sentence together (even though Andrew tells me I setting a bad precedent).

So I go up and lay (lie?) down next to him. This is quickly becoming my favorite time of the day. He is unusually focused and I can talk to him about things that he normally doesn't have the attention span for. A few nights ago we talked about how he will marry a girl someday and have little kids of his own. He thought this was really funny. Then he teased me by saying I am a boy and Daddy is a girl. He loves that joke.

Another night we talked about Jesus. Another night the topic was angels.

Tonight it went something like this:

Me: I'm not feeling very good tonight Luke
Luke: Mommy sick?
Me: Yes
Luke: You need to cut your nails?

Whenever Luke asks why I need to cut his nails, I tell him that he will get sick if he doesn't ... I use this reasoning for a lot of things including why he shouldn't pick his nose. Now he probably thinks I'm a nose picker too! Why else would I be sick?

He turned on his side and fell asleep pretty quick (it sort of amazes me how he can do that with me lying right next him). I stared at the back of his curly blonde head and had a realization sweep over me that he will never be a little boy again. This is it. I don't get to relive these days at some future point in eternity. He will only be my little 3 year old once, with all his cute, innocent misunderstandings and carefree spiritedness. At this age, he wants me right next to him all the time...watching him build a house with blocks or a tower with legos. He wants me right next to him when he goes outside or when he is drawing a picture. He wants me right next to him when he is doing nothing at all. In those moments he quickly makes up something to do when he can tell I'm getting distracted. Luke's "made up on the fly" games are not always fun per say, but it's Luke and he could make staring at a blank wall seem fun with his easy laugh and addictive smile.

My point is, the thought that this time will slowly fade away and change to something different made me ache. If you want to cry everyday, just have this realization on a daily basis and I promise you will. I don't think I can consciously think of it too often, because if I did, trying to savor every moment would just become way too overwhelming (and I would cry a lot).  Still, it is good to be reminded. That's when I realize that maybe taking an extra 20 minutes to lay down next to him at night is actually the only place I want to be. Everything else I want to do in life can wait until later. Who would miss this?

Happy Easter!

I love Easter. I wish the Easter season received the same emphasis as Christmas. It is such a hopeful, reassuring time of year. Andrew and I were talking today about maybe celebrating Lent next year. We live in an area with a lot of devout Catholics and I really like their tradition of giving something up for 40 days (I know there is a lot more to it than that, but I like the idea of sacrificing something so that you are constantly reminded of the upcoming Easter celebration). Maybe it would help us prepare a little better. 

My sister-in-law Jessica has an "Easter Advent Calendar" that she made where you can read a scripture for each day of the week leading up to Easter. The scriptures tell you what Christ was doing on that particular day.

I used this idea with the Primary class I taught today. I think with a few modifications (I would switch up the scriptures a little...and use the KJV) it would be great to do as a family in the future.

This video is a great way to get in the Easter spirit:

We also made "resurrection rolls" that I originally read about here, and found the recipe here. They were a HUGE hit (there are a few boys in the house who are particularly fond of anything sweet for breakfast). Andrew dubbed them an official Easter tradition after the first bite. 

Below are a few pictures from our neighborhood Easter egg hunt yesterday. Andrew had to work so I've been meaning to do another small egg hunt today so he could be there. But the temptation to take a nap instead might be too great. 

I decided I'm not being the "candy regulator" around the holidays anymore. It is a hopeless job. Too much whining for weeks on end about how much candy he can have and when he can have candy (for breakfast? I don't think so). This year, I just told him to eat it ALL. One day of candy-eating chaos. No limits. Anything left over is going in the trash (okay, I might eat a little too). This tactic has already taken a load off my shoulders.

The boys clearly did not waste any time and immediately got to work, sorting out the good stuff from the stuff they don't care for. (Cams always gets stuck with the candy Luke doesn't like).

It was ugly. And I surely paid a price by having a three year old who was too wired to sleep last night. But now it's done!

After all this celebrating business, the truly best part of Easter is having a few moments to look around and  realize that the things I treasure most in life will be mine forever because of Jesus Christ. Even those things that are temporarily taken from me or those trials that temporarily cause me pain and suffering...all of that will one day come to an end. I believe in the healing power of Christ both now and in the future. He resurrected and was victorious over death so that we all might experience that supreme joy. Is there any gift greater than that?

Better Late Than Never

Last year, before Luke's birthday, I decided I wanted to start a tradition of taking pictures of my kids on their birthdays in front of a huge sign on the front door that says how old they are (this isn't an original idea...I'm sure I stole it from somebody).

But birthday time was busy (back in August) and the sign never got made (plus I envisioned it painted which involves a few more steps). Flash-forward to today during Conference. We got the paints out while we listened to Conference in the background. I decided it was better late than never and finally made the sign.

Only 7 months after his birthday!

But the tradition has officially started so lets hope I'm more on my game this upcoming August. I'll have to do Cam's soon too. Ready for too many pictures of the same thing? I am!

 'that doesn't look right'

'there we go'

The real title of this post should be 'how many silly faces can Luke make in 30 seconds'...and these are just the ones I put up.

Gotta Love Conference

I love General Conference. It is the ultimate challenge for a couple with ADD, but trying to be quiet and listen is always well-worth the effort. I've already been HUGELY rewarded. I can't wait to share my favorite parts when they come out in print. But for right now I'll share some of my favorite parts from an Ensign article this month called, "Taking Time to Talk and Listen" because BOY HOWDY did I need to hear it (I don't know where I picked up the 'boy howdy' but I'm sticking with it for right now).

"As we spend time together and talk with our children, we come to know them and they come to know us. Our priorities, the real feelings of our heart, will become a part of our conversation with each child. What is the number-one message from your heart you would choose to share with your child?"

"Much good comes from talking, and the adversary is aware of the power of the spoken word. He would love to diminish the spirit that comes into our homes as we talk, listen, encourage each other, and do things together...The adversary would love to bind our tongues-anything to prevent us from expressing verbally the feelings of our hearts face to face. He delights in distance and distraction; he delights in noise; he delights in impersonal communication- anything that would prevent us from the warmth of a voice and the personal feelings that come from conversing eye to eye"

"It takes time to focus on the things that matter most. Talking, listening, and encouraging do not happen quickly. They cannot be rushed or scheduled-they happen best along the way. They happen when we do things together: work together, create together, and play together. They happen when we turn off media, put down worldly distractions, and focus on each other."

I definitely needed this reminder. I felt like Elder Packer was also echoing some of these principles too when he spoke today. This is a challenge because although Luke is getting better and better at talking, he still has little interest in discussing his thoughts and feelings. In fact, usually when I start asking him questions about preschool or anything really, it quickly morphs into some make-believe dialogue having to do with a cartoon character or the ABC's or whatever he is playing with at the moment. It might be his age, but I also have a feeling that boys (some boys) might not be chatter boxes by nature. He would rather be rough-housing or running or building something or spinning around and around until we both want to throw up. That's okay too. I guess it's all about baby steps. Being there and listening to whatever he wants to talk about, whenever that happens to be.

Yesterday we asked Luke (completely out of the blue) who his best friend is. He first said, "Devor" (his cousin), and then he said a few seconds later, "uh...Will". I knew his answers were sincere because we haven't talked about Devor or Will for at least a few days and they surely would qualify as best friends (I'm sure he meant both of them because you can't really choose just one best friend). They actually both live in different states so I was a little surprised that he chose them. It was one of his first thought-out, genuine answers to a real question (not just a "how old are you" kind of a question that has a right/wrong answer). He is doing this more and more and I LOVE hearing what he has to say. He is actually really really funny too.

One thing I know for sure is that it can NEVER be the wrong choice to put down whatever I'm working on/being distracted by, and focusing more of my attention on my children. I've been working on it this week and everyone is so much happier...even if silly little things don't get done. One thing that has helped is that I made a goal to not get on the Internet when they are awake. This is hard because I constantly have a steady stream of things going through my head: ideas for projects I want to do, people I need to email, something I need/want to learn about or research, etc., etc. Not to mention I'm still looking at places to live in Ann Arbor (this one is a major time-sucker). I have a hard time not reacting as soon as a thought crosses my mind and going straight to my computer. There is just so much information at my fingertips...it is VERY distracting. So instead I've been keeping a list by my computer of things I need to do during my 'internet time'. I add to it when I need to and try to stay off it as much as possible. Wish me luck. This is going to be a hard habit to form.