Dufi: April 2013

29 April 2013

It has ARRIVED

Spring that is. It came! We spent a glorious weekend showing M what grass feels like on the toes, what pickles taste like, and how to spot birds way up in that finally blue sky.

It was so good.

I mastered the art of walking by very lonely looking yard sales without making eye contact with the people trying to reel me in with their will power to buy their things. Unless you are selling that Sprite that I am having a hankering for, I don't need any of those things at present.

We got to help with a baptism at our church. I have never helped with one that wasn't family, so it was neat! It was two hispanic girls, so the program was bilingual. The speakers did a fantastic job of keeping everyone involved and understanding. It is a wonderful thing to feel the spirit even when you don't understand through language what is being said. It was neat.

Speaking of church, I went alone for the first time up here. Husband was sick, and I could 't take M and teach my 5 year old primary class. It was an interesting time. My four little boys are..... a handful. Never still. I was wishing with fondness for the Sunday a few weeks back when one of them was kind enough to point out with much surprise and exclamation that I have hair on my arms. A lot apparently. It seemed that would be easier than pulling them back from walking on all fours in front of all the children with their shoes on their hands.

We had a lovely rain storm roll in while we were having a cook out with some friends. It smelled gorgeous, and felt gorgeous, and made me forget that I was up in arms about Mav not taking ANY afternoon nap AT ALL. Heathen.

It really was SO good.

25 April 2013

A first I didn't think I would ever have

Guys, I wrote a guest post. I always thought it was so neat when people asked others to write on their blogs.

It is really neat to be a part of it! Check it out.

http://forallmomkind.blogspot.com/

Instadump

23 April 2013

Do you want to be my favorite uncle?

I don't know what it is about Dick Van Dyke, but it is impossible not to like him. Right? Do any of you NOT have an affection for this man? It is the kind of feeling you might have for a beloved uncle or grandfather. You just want to latch on at the knee and have them pat your head.

I imagine that if I ever met him I would just want to give him a hug, after which we would share a milkshake while throwing back our heads in affectionate and delightful laughter. The sun would most likely be glimmering over us.

We sing to Maverik every night. For weeks I tried to remember the words of this song because I knew that as a child I had loved it. I kept forgetting, and he mostly got "Once Upon a December" sung on repeat because it is my other favorite. I finally remembered to look this up one evening during his bedtime routine.

Don't you just want to be one of those kids?! Being Truly Scrumptious wouldn't make me feel too bad either....

22 April 2013

My Weekend Lessons

Minnesota weather is worse than Cache Valley. I never thought it possible. I hadn't completely decided until my one mile trip down the road an hour ago (weather gods, it is April 22. I am reminding you in case you had forgotten because you are too busy basking sunshine upon people in Phoenix and Atlanta) prompted the snow to start falling.

When you have people over for games and hearty laughter, you should probably have a veggie tray, or a juice cleanse available for everyone to wash out all of the sugary treats that they will bring along. Don't discourage them from bringing it all though because it means you will have goodies in the house for a few precious days.

The blue flavor in the rainbow twizlers is the best.

When snot pools up in a babies nostrils over night, it can turn into a forresty green air stopper. The babies don't like it when you remove it with the looped side of a bobby pin. They also don't like it when you pull the crust from their eyelashes even though you are telling them it will allow them to see. Don't worry, we've been to the doctor today.

Speaking of the doctor, Doctor Who really never gets old. I must have re-watched some of the episodes five times, and I would watch them again. I walk around saying things like," Fez's are cool. It's completely SONIC!", and " Watch it SPACEMAN". I have not yet fallen to the level of buying my child plushy Daleks. We will focus on the positive.

19 April 2013

The wisdom of a Skype conversation

My little brother Kade and I were talking over Skype the other day. We talked about various things, and at some point the topic of Maverik came up as he bobbed in and out of the screen.

Kade said something like this, "You know, I used to just roll my eyes when people wanted me to see pictures or videos of their nieces or and/or nephews. Now I have one that I want to show to people, and no one cares. I get it now."

My immediate reaction to this is: How on EARTH could people NOT want to see my child. He is ridonkulously and perfectly adorable! I feel immediately protective of the fact that someone may not like him. Off with their heads!

Then I realize that although I can genuinely appreciate the cuteness of other people's children,even more so now that I have one of my own, it just isn't the same. Let me know if I am alone in this, but sometimes I look at Maverik and feel so intense about how perfect he is, and how he is the best baby in the entire world. Shouldn't every mother feel that way about her own children? At least when they are babies.(Don't get me started on the parents who think their children retain that perfection into their teenage years, and couldn't POSSIBLY do anything wrong. Ugh. I have horrid flashbacks of the worst kind of moments in a teacher's job.) So, every mom really does have the cutest baby in the world because it is her world.

So, continue to humor me as I post relentlessly here and any other medium on which you may follow, about my baby and how much I can't get enough of him. Also forgive me for thinking that he is the most adorable, and I will forgive you for thinking your baby or niece or nephew is more so.

I mean, someone PLEASE correct me if I am mistaken about this face being so.....gobbleable.

17 April 2013

FF

Facepalms -

I was taking a walk some days ago, and it had just been raining. I kept hearing what I THOUGHT was a water droplet fly off my shoe and drop into a puddle....until I realized I was walking on dry asphalt. No puddles within kicking range. I was very puzzled, so I continued to walk slowly. The sound turned out to be my corduroy clad thighs rubbing musically together. zip zip zip.

Maverik spit up just a little dime sized bit on the carpet. Before I had time to even consciously think about going to the next room to get a cloth or a burp rag I found myself rubbing it out with my sock, while it was on my foot. Groooooss.

I didn't buy any oreos at the store yesterday, and they were on sale for 2 for $5, and I DIDN'T GET ANY.

Fistpumps -

The last afternoon my in-laws were here, I was puzzled as to what to make for our meal. The last think on our meal list was Navajo taco's, so I started throwing it together. It turned out to be my mother-in-law's favorite meal. Yesssss.

....my facepalms are outnumbering their counter part these days.

16 April 2013

I got over the age, but not the song

This song is one of my soul songs. One of the songs that seems to be in my bones you know?

I was probably 13 when I heard this song for the first time. I was having some turmoil of the heart, and thought things could never feel worse. I was crushing on a boy h-a-r-d and he liked one of my closest friends. I was feeling overlooked and unwanted as only a 13 year old girl can (seriously, how did I manage to make everything feel so tragic?).

I would go home, put this song on repeat, throw myself on my bed (like in Beauty in the beast when she gets locked in her room for the first time. It was a really good body throw. It takes talent to not do neck damage with this kind of action).

Somehow this song put into feeling the right kind of sadness I was feeling. I wanted someone to feel this way about meeeeeee.

And now, I just love it. Partly for nostalgic reasons, partly because Mr. Withers has an incredible voice, and partly because it is just a good song. That is three parts. Enjoy.

15 April 2013

Things Learned...

...after having our first visitors in Minnesota

1. Visitors RULE. Family seemed especially special because it felt like they brought home with them.

2. When grandparents spoil your children it feels as though you are getting spoiled because you reap the benefits by default. I also learned that this does not mean that you are welcome to eat all of the animal crackers...

3. Sharing a Port-a-potty size bathroom with four grown people takes some juggling. It also takes a level of restraint in order to not ask who left that smell in there. Courtesy is also required when you already know who left that smell in there.

4. Duck Dynasty is truly a marvelous way to pass empty hours. That joy is expounded upon when your father-in-law laughs loudly and gleefully every minute or so.

5. Plan a menu, (I thought I planned one, but when they got here I realized I hadn't...don't ask me how that happened.) otherwise you will have to take multiple unplanned trips to the insanely priced grocery store down the street. But, it may also mean that you accidentally make your mother-in-law's favorite dish.

6. When you dish ice cream for yourself, make sure you ask if anyone else wants some even if it is at naughty eating hours, or you may appear to be the most gluttonous and ungracious host.

7. Having amazing in-laws may not make or break who you choose to marry, but having them feel like your own family is rather nice. I sure hit the jack pot. Mine didn't even care that I walked around in leggings after church instead of being decent and putting on pants. Seriously. The greatest.

8. Old Navy has put out some stellar V-neck T-shirts this year. (Thanks Lisa!) I am probably going to have to go back and get one of each color and pattern. Then I don't have to ever wear anything else.

9. When you move across the country from your family and they come to visit, you get pretty homesick when they leave.

10. Cuddling with your husband while you both play with a cute child is a pretty okay way to curb the home sickness. You'll feel better after you go finish the guacamole from the fridge.

11 April 2013