Jesus Wants *Seth* for a Sun-BEAM!

Yesterday was my boy's first Sunday in Primary, and he was perfectly happy to say goodbye to the Nursery. We sang the Hello Song and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam to welcome the newest members of the Primary. I spent the last week or so preparing him by letting him know there were no toys or snacks, but he gets to sing songs and have a lesson and maybe occasionally play a game. He even volunteered to say the opening prayer and was disappointed when he wasn't chosen...maybe next week. I'm the Primary pianist, and I sit right by his class and couldn't help glancing out of the corner of my eye to see what he was doing. What a good little listener, and he obeyed his teacher too. He's a little sunbeam to our family!

2009 Santa story

For your reading pleasure, a narration of last night's Santa experience:

Lydia: I'm not so sure about this, but I don't think I like it. And why on earth am I wearing so many stripes??

Seth: I practiced all day what I would say to Santa, and now all I can do is stand here with my hand in my mouth.

~~~

Lydia: Oh, wow. Mom's making a fool of herself off to the side so I'll stop crying.

Seth: Same as last photo.

~~

Lydia: Wow, Mom's still at it. I don't think I've ever seen her jump up and down, clap her hands and whistle all at the same time.

Seth: Now I have a candy cane, but I can't make myself look at Santa yet.

~~

Lydia: OK, if Mom's over there, who's holding me?

Seth: I'm contemplating talking to Santa. Should I or shouldn't I?

~~

Lydia: OK, nice try distracting me, Mom. Get me away from this guy!

Seth: Boy, this candy cane sure looks good. OK here's the plan. Just before we walk out the door, I'll tell Santa thank you for the candy cane and that I want a red fire truck for Christmas. Whew!

~~

The End

Just a little project

I'm amazed at how much better I feel when I manage to get a little part of my world organized and in order. This is a before and after of an afternoon's time spent tidying up my little ribbon bin.

Before:

After:

I love my doll pins swaddled up like cozy little babes. No more grumbling as I dig through the menagerie of scraps, spools, and tangled messes for just the right embelishment.

We're a little late - Halloween 2009

We're approaching mid-November and I'm just now getting around to posting Halloween photos. Seth wanted to be Bob the Builder, and it wasn't until after I bought his clothes that he switched and wanted to be Handy Manny. In the end, he was happy being Bob and took the opportunity to "fix" all the things that were in need of repair.


He's a pretty good likeness, don't you think?

And little Lydia...who can resist a cute costume on an even more adorable little girl?

Daddy adoring his little miss ladybug:

While Matt and Seth made the rounds in the neighborhood...

...we girls stayed home to pass out candy. It was a slow year for trick-or-treaters...only 84 munchkins begging us for candy this year instead of the 100+ that we normally get. Now what to do with all this candy?? Ugh. 'Tis the season.

The little boy who lives where?

Captured this video of Seth singing "Baa Baa Black Sheep". Listen carefully when he gets to the part "One for the master, one for the dame, one for the little boy who lives down the ____". Yup, apparently the little boy has relocated from down the lane to down the drain. Hey, at least he's good at rhyming.

Snow Lake

Matt took Seth on a little (I use the term "little" very loosely) hike to Snow Lake with a few of the Boy Scouts from church. Matt was the fearless leader, and Seth played the part of comic relief.
It was quite a challenge, between the rocky trail and chilly temperatures...

...but the view at the top proved to be worth the effort.

She's a-growin' and a-movin'

Wow Lydia is nearly 8 months old! I was just going through photos to archive and ran across those of just a few months ago. It wasn't that long ago that I couldn't put her down without her (and subsequently me) crying. This is how we spent pretty much every day all day for her first two months of life. (Never mind the weird look on my face...how do I take a photo of myself without it looking odd?)
And this was my view of her:

So, wrapped up together in the Moby, we went about our day as such. Here's what I found in the process.

Things easily done with a baby strapped on:

• kiss the top of her head
• load the dishwasher
• prep food for cooking
• make bread
• go for a walk
• get a core workout on the big exercise ball (bouncing with baby kills two birds with one stone - gets baby to sleep and strengthens flabby post-baby back and tummy)
• blog/email
• cut out fabric for clothes and quilts
• vacuum

Things that are difficult/awkward but possible to do with a baby strapped on:

• curl hair (carefully!)
• crawl under the desk in the office to plug in the internet cable
• eat (turn sideways to avoid baby being showered with crumbs)
• help pick up toddler's toys/chase toddler/ lift toddler into high chair/etc

Things NOT to do with a baby strapped on:

• drive (obvious, and no I didn't find this out from experience, so please no reports to CPS)
• shower (see above note)
• scale the climbing rocks at the park when toddler makes it all the way to the top and then is too scared to come down alone

Anyway, here she is now...on the move and cute as all get-out. I don't think I could strap her in the Moby if I tried...not because of her size but because of her ridiculous strength and constant need to be busy and on the go.