Updates

JACK

At 4 1/2 months is: (was)

16lbs. 15oz.

26 1/2 inches and...

HAPPY

Eating cereal

Discovering toys

Thrilled with his feet

Sleeps well

Wearing 6-9 month clothes

My favorite thing about this month was the simple joy of watching him discover more of the world around him. He is a very good listener. When someone is explaining something he intently listens. A friend of mine was explaining a recipe and he was probably absorbing the instructions better than I was. He also thoroughly investigates his toys, he will lay on the play mat for a good 30-45 minutes just looking at each toy individually turning it over and examining it from all angles. He will occasionally throw a good tantrum, which we have coined the "jack-jack attack." If you've seen the Incredible's you know what I mean. He starts to shake and growl and then comes the AAAAAAA!!!! The fact that he even has the name makes it especially fitting.

JARA

Charles Dickens said it best when he penned, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." It must be terrible being two. (terrible as in great, and terrible as in beastly.) I think she really will have a chance at ruling the world because she does not take "no" for an answer! Now for her famous quotes...
"Mommy-big girl panties" The result of seeing me in my swimming suit.

"Jacky what's wrong?" She's very soothing to her brother and still very loving and she likes calling him Jacky.

"Cage mom, cage" Her special name for road construction along I-15 in Vegas.

"No, yes" I still haven't figured this out.

Her latest accomplishments...

Spelling her name...J-A-R-p-s-t-u (it's in rare Jara"nese" form.)

Organizing my canned food, she knows I need help. (hence the above pic)

Potty training her baby (the Eeyore that you see in every picture)

I would be bored without her!

Jewelry

Ahhhh one of my favorite new traditions, looked forward to with almost as much anticipation as Christmas. Is it any wonder why? Jed takes work off, I escape, play with my teacher friends,(from another life) and come home with lots of shiny, tacky worthless "pretties," as Jara calls them. Thanks to Lisa and her niceness/connections we all get to go into the Mirage to a wholesale jewelry show and shop, shop, shop! I think I surpassed my life allotment of jewelry in one day! Jara LOVE, LOVE, LOVES pretties, as she calls them and tried to steal all of them and told everyone "my pile, pretties." Yes, she made a pile and yes, she hordes. Yesterday I found a couple of bracelets in the basket of her tricycle. I have to watch her in the grocery store!

Amanda, Laena, Michelle, Karen, Amy, Ev, Lisa, self

(not the most flattering pic for me but oh well)

The Kiddies

Jack
Jack and glo-worm, do you see the resemblance?

Poor Jack he's so embarrassed his mom does this to him!

Practicing rolling over (he's been rolling over for a month now.)


Laughing out loud

Jara

Pretty in pink

Doing a heel-clicker on her trike, yes even in the dress!



ELLA

Ella (Ashley's little girl) Isn't she cute?

Ten Honest Scraps

So...I recently received the "Honest Scraps" blog award which requires you to reveal ten honest facts about yourself. I haven't posted anything like this yet so here goes...

Warning: Take the "s" off the above word and that's mostly what you're going to get.

1. I am not shy. I may be hesitant to do something first or quiet at times but I am not afraid of people.

2. I do not like it when people dislike me.

3. I'm older than my husband (only by 5 months.)

4. Useless trivia fascinates me. I admit it, I like watching Jeopardy.

5. When Jed and I are old I want to go on a South American LDS mission. Is Machu Pichu a mission?

6. I like being alone, I never realized this until I had children. Bad time to decide to channel my inner lone wolf.

7. I have "magpie syndrome" meaning: I like to collect "things." Especially shiny things.

8. I have a weakness for chocolate AND office supplies. Nothing puts a smile on my face like highlighters and index cards.

9. Flying creatures are my nemesis. (See prior post Fowl Foul)

10. My dreams are non-stop, every night. I would make a great case study.

*Bonus fact: I am easily entertained. I am perfectly happy wherever I am, as long as I have access to a good book, or a lot of things to stare at (the beach.)
I pass this award/torch on to Ashley to be fulfilled as soon as you read this. .

Parade of Homes 2009

Ahhh it's that time of year again. The season of million dollar homes being showcased to us mere peasants. I love the Parade of Homes in all it's gaudy splendor! I have to remind myself, "When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm eating beans out of a can, I'll simply remember my favorite things and then I won't feel so sad!" Here are a few of my favorite things...

BATHROOM SINKS (ALL KINDS)

Beauty and the Beast

Copper farmhouse sinks and red metallic

Playrooms with mini tunnels

Bathrooms concealed by doors that blend into the wall, complete with a vase.(vahhhhzzz)

Pools, big pools

Mini-pedicure rooms

Laundry rooms with recliners (I can so imagine myself, doing laundry, curled up with a book.)

Mini-kitchens, snack bars with more metallic red countertops and chrome. (look close)

Harry Potter passages

Zen wisdom from a cat

TOTAL home gym's, complete with a rockwall, putting green, two story exercise room, full-size basketball court, and full-size racquetball court all in the basement. I would charge my kids a membership fee.

*disclaimer: sorry random strangers for being put on the internet and sorry so many of my pics turned out not so good

The Red Piano

Okay so I need an Elton John Red Piano, minus the Elton John. Now that I am teaching piano lessons, please don't laugh too hard, I think this is a neccesity. Wouldn't you want to learn to play the piano on a red, grand piano? "If you practice really hard, I'll let you play on the RED piano today."

Jed and I were lucky enough to get free tickets to his majesty's show at Ceaser's. (Thank you Brennan, Christal and Michelle.) The piano playing, live, truly is awesome and Elton still rocks but I still can't understand the giant inflatable boobs that came down during one of the songs. I've always wondered what some of the words were to his songs, the words aren't really "she's got electric boots..." what he's really saying is: "she's got inflatable boobs." It was a one of a kind experience.

Happy Birthday Jed

Highlights of the celebration...

Jed is now 27, we were able to use the 2 and 7 from my cake on his, talk about recycling. Anyway, we had a quiet familial get together with an ice cream desert. Oven catching on fire=no dinner for birthday celebration. (That's another story.) Pinata in the rain=soggy, worthless mess. I've spent a decade celebrating birthdays with Jed. The very first present he ever got from me was a GI Joe flashlight ($1 from Wal-Mart.) Other gifts have included, jumping from boxes, pinata's (in the MTC), electronics and children. This year he got his main gift 3 months ago, Jack, the gift that keeps on giving.

I love that Jed and I have been able to grow up together. He always makes fun of me for being older than him but really we're pretty lucky to be close in age and share the same life experiences together. Happy birthday Jed.