The Fredin Family

Andrew turns 21

2012-02-23T21:20:00.000-06:00

Our baby brother Andrew turned 21 on February 6th, and in his honor I put together this little video, with the help and commentary from all my siblings.

Andrew Turns 21 from Whitney Fredin on Vimeo.

Sad Ted (+ gratuitous baby legs by the window)

2012-02-20T00:35:00.001-06:00

Happy Ted

2012-02-20T00:32:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T12:15:00.000-06:00

Snippets from around the house this morning. Hank and I did a grid painting, inspired by this, and I cut the paper into freehand hearts. Even the trimmings were pretty. I realized I had never made my valentines a candy gram, so they each got their own poster-sized sweet message today. Ivy was a big fan, which warmed my heart. "Mom, this is so cool!" she told me a few times. Small and simple things....

One!

2012-02-09T22:25:00.001-06:00

Ted is one today. He's sick and getting teeth, I'm sick (probably strep, achey and sore-throated), so we have spent the last few days cuddled together, getting stuff done when our ibuprofen kicks in. I managed to put together some red velvet cupcakes from scratch (which should really only be eaten with cooked flour and milk frosting, as in this recipe--none of this cream cheese stuff for me), and we got a bouquet of balloons, which were a present in and of themselves. After opening gifts, Ted is fully equipped to be the next manservant at Downton Abbey. I got him a Swiffer duster that he found enthralling at Richelle's house the other day, a fifty cent fly swatter, a pinwheel, and the Foxes got him a play vacuum. He toddled around, alternately laughing and crying, carrying all his long-handled items with such devotion. We sure love Ted!

He loved looking out the window at the kids on the tramp.

A great way to spend $5

2012-02-08T17:26:00.004-06:00

when the days are grey, the noses are being wiped constantly (honestly, I can't remember another winter when we've been this bogged down with colds! Enough already!), and the old toys are too boring. Found this marble run at the thrift store and we've been playing with it nonstop, often sans regular clothing...the many possible incantations are mesmerizing!

Photo taken right before that fist turned into a kapow at the taller tower and obliterated it to smithereens.

Sun Valley Serenade

2012-02-02T11:20:00.004-06:00

Weekend in Sun Valley for Justin's work. While not a complete stress-free break for me, (hacking cough at night, tweaked my back schlepping Ted in stroller up and down stairs singlehanded, etc.) the kids had a fantastic time, swimming, ice skating (Ivy), picking out candy at the candy store, eating snow, baby yoga, feeding the swans and ducks, donning luxurious robes and doing kung fu moves, and hanging out with our friends from the firm. Must return soon. Wood paneling, pictures of movie stars on the walls, an imported international staff with smiling faces, everybody needs a little old school luxury in their lives from time to time. The drive is so pretty and easy; it's a bit shy of 3 hours from door to door. Totally do-able. Can't wait to return in summer, but then the magic of the mist over the big round swimming pool surrounded by snow-covered pine trees would be lost.

Faux Hawk

2012-01-24T13:58:00.004-06:00

This morning, Hank's dreams came true. I gave him a haircut that permitted a faux hawk, just like so and so's from preschool.

He was so excited to show Ruby.

Ruby thought it was pretty cool.

Bridge People

2012-01-18T11:16:00.005-06:00

Last week, while walking at the park, my kids discovered the most marvelous place....the next day, we packed a satchel of snacks, grabbed Ruba, as Hank calls her, and set out for an hour of fun. Ted bundled up against the super cold elements and was happy as a clam walking with me. The kids made bread from the "wheat" they gathered, built up their house, and journeyed along the river bottom to foreign lands.

Out My Front Door Right Now

2012-01-18T11:13:00.002-06:00

Eleven Months

2012-01-16T16:55:00.002-06:00

Ted turned eleven months last week. I haven't posted much in the way of updates on Ted, so just for my personal record, he started walking at 9 months, loves to forage in the cabinets and cupboards, says "no no no" and waves his arm in front of his body while doing so, loves to toss things down the stairs but so far has avoided going down them himself (at least on my watch). The other day he grabbed a microfiber washcloth (his favorite) and went over to the chair, the table, and the fireplace hearth, wiping away at each spot. It warmed my little heart to see him cleaning. He has had a couple of colds lately, has been on antibiotics twice already, and gives hugs to Ivy and Ted when they cry. He tries to cuddle with Harriett to no avail. She is as cold as ice. Could be the tail pulling. Loves bath time and hates getting dressed. Loves sweet potatoes (who doesn't?) and Zoi Greek yogurt. If he's not loving what I'm serving him, I mix it in a little Zoi and voila! downs it like butter. Still nurses with vigor and vim and loves his mama the best (with Daddy, Grandma Deb, Lauren, and Grandpa John in close pursuit). I wish it weren't so, people, I really do. It would make my life easier, but what can I say? Four teeth, with more under the surface. Gets told all the time he looks exactly like Hank, but I see a lot of Ivy in him, including some personality stuff, like his attention to tiny details and Superman vision when it comes to picking up lint and dry food particles from the floor. Nothing gets past him. Out of sight out of mind? Not with this one. Still friendly and engaging, super smiley, including at the doctor when he had two ear infections and was as chipper as ever. We all sure love this guy.

Bowling and Bacon

2012-01-11T13:26:00.003-06:00

On Monday, we had a little outing with Grandma and Grandpa Fredin before they headed back to IL on Tuesday morning. We always love having them here and this weekend was no exception. We met Justin for lunch downtown at Bacon, then went bowling at the BSU Student Union Building, where we hit the best value of the week: shoe rental was free and games were $1.50/person! And the school is still on winter break, so we had the place to ourselves. We got a snack, walked around the SUB, then headed over to the zoo to catch the last hour of daylight before shutting her down. Again, we had the place to ourselves, and the animals had just gotten fed, so we saw lots of them. After takeout from the Cheesecake Factory (lettuce wraps.....mmmmmmm), the kids were put to bed and we stayed up laughing for a while. Good times. Thanks for making the trip, Fredins. We loved having you here and we miss you already!

Ivy's Baptism

2012-01-11T13:09:00.001-06:00

Ivy got baptized on Saturday! This was such a special milestone for our family and for Ivy...we were so grateful for the family who traveled far and near to be there. It was such a wonderful day. After the baptism, we headed over to Idaho Pizza Company, where we celebrated with pizza, salad, drinks, and a delish cake with the funny inscription, "Congratulations Emily & Geoffrey and Ivy." It made me chuckle. Emily and Geoffrey were in town for their debut as husband and wife to all the family. It was nice to finally meet Geoffrey. He is a good addition to the family.

Clara Slatter, Eliza Larson, Ivy, Luke, Hank

Ivy and Madeline Coleman shared their big day.

The men who confirmed Ivy: uncle Nathaniel Fredin, dad Justin, great-uncle Craig Bruneel, great-uncle Trent Martin, grandpa John Fox, grandpa Doug Fredin

Ivy and her biggest fan, Ruby

Ivy and Luke

Geoffrey and Emily King

Christmas Day

2011-12-29T14:50:00.002-06:00

This year we kept the tree outside, due to one walking, grabbing, foraging little raccoon. It was great...a few choice nights and netflix holiday reruns spent winding thrifted yarn around thrifted styrofoam balls and some white lights made our authentic Oregon forest Christmas tree happy. It made me happy looking at it every day! This morning Grandpa John took all the grandkids swimming at the Y and I took all the Christmas decorations down, packed them away for next year. I don't like to spend much on decorations or get locked into a theme or color. Most of my purchasing is done with the recycle mentality....not so much a trend, but the idea that you return it to the system when you're done with it. So I have no problem buying a cat nativity set, knowing that some little girl will enjoy it next year when I donate it back.

Christmas outfits = varying degrees of plaid

outtake with a better view of the yarn ball tree

Christmas Day puzzling

Ted's Stocking

2011-12-29T14:40:00.003-06:00

This year, I spent a few hours on Christmas Eve Eve and Christmas Eve stitching up Ted's stocking. Much like the other ones, his had an assortment of Christmas-y figures and lots of tiny stitching. Ivy and I made one for Ruby as well, and I was proud to watch Ivy stitch away on it. Erin stitched on Ruby's, too. It wasn't a mad rush kind of project, just relaxing, the best kind.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-25T20:51:00.003-06:00

Christmas Eve. The merriest of days.

Started out with breakfast with friends.

Brought out everybody's favorite: the ringing of the bells.

Chinese food with the family, then baklava and a candy cane for Santa, and cutting up carrots for the reindeer, with a note that read, "For Reindeer Only. Sorry Santa."

What we gave

2011-12-20T02:18:00.002-06:00

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the making, giving, and receiving of treats! My goodie making seems to go in waves...some years/days, I'm feeling it, other days, I rely on a trusty tube of Biscoff cookies or something. I'm all about the easy button. In the spirit of recording this year's festivities, here's a rundown of the treats. My sister Sarah rode into town with enough Christmas spirit for us all and made homemade caramel pretzel rods and dipped them in Callebaut chocolate for me. Also fudge. I made some fudge with walnuts and it was very dry, so it is sitting on my counter instead of heading out the door. Last week, Lauren and I put together some plates with sugar gems, Russian tea cookies, and homemade caramels. I made baklava for Ivy's class and gave some to the garage door repairman, who happened to be Armenian and living very far away from his mother in California who makes it every year. I also assembled a couple hot chocolate bars, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles, marshmallows, and several types of hot chocolate. This year's wrappings were heavy on the white and red twine, cellophane that could make a cow pie look attractive, and a little retro sticker tag keeping the homemade glitz intact. Not to mention all the love of which we've been the recipients....thanks to one and all!

Family Christmas Dinner

2011-12-18T23:15:00.000-06:00

Thursday night was both Hank and Ruby's preschool program and the Family Adult Christmas Dinner. My mom "puts on a good feed bag" as my grandpa would say, and everybody brings something. The halls were bedecked and it was a nice evening of laughing and doing Jumbles. (My mom loves the Jumble in the newspaper and I found a vintage Jumble game at the thrift store last week for her. She placed playing cards at each table for something to do after we ate.) My dad brought prizes for everybody from the dollar aisle at Target. On the menu: pork tenderloin with apples, pears, and cranberries, spinach artichoke dip, homemade rolls, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and gravy, green salad, and pound cake and homemade chocolate cream and lemon lime pies with whipped cream.

Oh, you'd like to come, too?

Welcome! Come on in!

The tall tree is from the mountains near John Day, Oregon.

This year, my mom hung pictures right on the banisters.

All the taxidermy are bedazzled with their winter gear.

I want to remember this Christmas how my mom thrifted all the little houses to display on top of her cabinet and how much time she spent painting them white with snow, drilling holes in their walls to place electric candles inside so the light flickered from within, and adhering little wreaths to their doors.

No holiday party is complete without retro Christmas cartoons.

Thanks for coming! Merry Christmas!!!

Date Night

2011-12-14T23:23:00.000-06:00

Last week, Hank and I went on a date. We were the only ones in the family who wanted Chinese food (Hank kept saying, "I wuuuuuv Chinese food!" but could only name "those cookies with the paper inside" when pressed for some of his favorite dishes). We went to Golden Star, just in time for a 5:30 pm dinner...early enough to dine with the over-65 crowd. We both loved it. The festive poinsettias, the ancient faux wood paneling, the signs saying they'll be open on Christmas Day and New Years, the lanterns, the pork and seeds ("soooooo de-wicious!"), the sweet and sour chicken with fried rice, the egg roll. I couldn't have picked a more enthusiastic dinner companion. As we finished up, I told him that when you go on dates, the boys always pay (it's never too early to teach chivalry), so I handed him the credit card and the bill and off he went. Next stop, the mall. We looked at the toy store and ran around the play area, then a stop at the thrift store to do a little shopping for our family gift exchange. He found himself a black belt to wear with his new suit and a fish that swims in the bathtub. It was a true delight and a Christmas gift for me to be able to spend some time with Hankers.

New Suit

2011-12-14T23:02:00.001-06:00

I found this suit for Hank at the consignment kids store and it was a hit! He looked so dapper and kept saying, "I'm just like Dad!"

Santa Breakfast

2011-12-13T11:02:00.001-06:00

Hank was feeling a bit shy

Ted was always a lady's man

2nd Grade Program

2011-12-07T09:46:00.001-06:00

Before we take down the birthday shrine, we had a little AM photo shoot with the new duds (including clip-on earrings!). Today is the 2nd grade musical program for Christmas and Ivy's line is this: "In 1822, Clement Moore wrote a poem entitled, 'A Visit from St. Nicholas.' In it, he described the image of Santa Claus like this...." Can't wait!

Ivy's 8th Party

2011-12-05T23:19:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, Ivy had a few friends over for some merry-making. They did a scavenger hunt with clues hidden through the neighborhood park, leading them to the pirate's booty in our living room. Then we ate funfetti cupcakes (I think everyone ate 3 a piece--the only thing about having only cupcakes for party vittles) and opened presents. We finished her up with a simple yarn-wrapped styrofoam ornament craft and about 20 minutes of playtime in the basement. It was, for me, the perfect party...just the right amount of time, guests, number of activities, food. Each girl took home a stocking Ivy and I made out of felt filled with dollar store items and some candy. That was probably our most fun part, wandering the aisles, picking out the stuff to put in the stockings. Loved it.

This was the cake I made today for the family party.

A neon rainbow cake per her request.

The final clue!

Treasure! Million dollar bill chocolate bars, ring pops, chocolate coins, and some peppermint Andes mints

Thanks, Utah Aunties, for the Cafe Rio gift card!

Hank loved being "just one of the girls"

Ivy is 8

2011-12-05T23:03:00.001-06:00

8 years ago nearly to the hour, I held Ivy for the first time. After being born in the wee hours of the morning, she was rushed off to the NICU to treat an infection in her lungs that looked and sounded like pneumonia, so we waited and met with friends and family and prayed a lot. She was our first; we hadn't prepared for any contingencies, however temporary they ended up being. At the time it was a little scary. All the babies in the NICU were premature or waiting to have surgery, and there was our nearly 9 pound Thanksgiving turkey, hooked up to tubes. I remember touching her dark hair softly, whispering to her through the isolette, and watching her turn to her mama's voice. Later that night, a kind nurse unhooked the tubes so we could snuggle her. She smelled like bacon. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Now she is eight. Accountable in a few weeks. She is practically grown, a woman in waiting. She teaches me intentionally by her words and by the things I experience in our shared life together. I have been thinking a lot about Jesus' words that all of us have to become like little children, whether before or after baptism. Of course, Ivy's preparation for baptism has shifted my focus inward, wondering if I've taught her enough and what is left that hangs on my shoulders? But knowing Ivy, regardless of what I've taught or haven't, I'm sure with God's help, she'll figure it out. She always does.

Happy 8th Birthday, Ivy. I like you and I love you.

Advent Day 3 | Craft Night

2011-12-04T11:59:00.001-06:00

Whilst the menfolk (+ Sutton) attended a BSU basketball game, the girls (+ Hank) Christmas-crafted our hearts out. There were birdhouses to paint, yarn ball ornaments to wrap, and I made this wreath for my most consistent and supportive client, my angel Mother. We tucked Ted into beddy-bye, put on the tunes (Take 6's new Christmas album was great), and ate some chocolate chip cookie bars and toffee almonds. Another one is in the works....we still have much to make and do!

Advent Day 2 | Meeting Santa

2011-12-04T11:50:00.001-06:00

Ted's Christmas debut went off without a hitch. He locked eyes, smiled, and a collective awwww erupted from onlookers at Justin's office party. I think he's my first baby who liked Santa. So proud of Hank, who continues his exposure therapy to costumed humans and even had a little conversation with St. Nick.

Advent 2011 Day 1 | Seeing the Lights

2011-12-02T01:16:00.001-06:00

This year's advent is going to be super low-key: a wrapped book a day, some new, some old. I'm excited! It seems to fit the pace of this season of life for me. Today's new book was by Walter Wick, his Christmas Can You See What I See? from 2005. These are books my kids go back to repeatedly, so I wanted to gift it early in the season. These books are genius, fun for all ages. I also got the Little People Nativity set last night at Walmart, since it was just as cheap as Amazon, and it has been a big hit so far. Ted went straight for the hay bale and never looked back, carrying it around most of the morning and banging it into stuff. Hank told me about all the different figures, including the "gentle beasts" from a song at preschool. That kid is a continual source of wonderment and joy. Ivy likes it too. Win-win-win.

We kicked off the holiday season with the Botanical Garden Lights again this year. Prancer the Reindeer was a hit, and Hank maintained a cautious distance from the costumed folk, but he's warming up. The line to see Santa was out the door, so Ivy was a bit bummed we didn't wait around for that. Hooray for good hot chocolate, fresh kettle corn, and periodic warming by fires.

Happy December!!!

Let the Making Begin!

2011-11-27T20:06:00.001-06:00

The latest wreath for a customer.

Thanksgiving 2011, John Day, Oregon

2011-11-27T00:04:00.001-06:00

Ted Walks

2011-11-26T23:50:00.001-06:00

He's a little stepper! Loves to walk holding things in his hands or in his mouth. These little stretchy creatures Grandma Barb picked up for Hank at the Field Museum last year are a favorite. You can guess what happened after the last photo.

9 months!

2011-11-17T00:20:00.001-06:00

A week late, but here goes!
At nine months, Ted is standing all the time, has taken a few little steps.
Loves cheerios and pears.
Settles into mama or Ivy for reading time. I love this--when they figure out that reading = cozy time.
Still loves mama best, but reaches out to Grandma, Grandpa, Dad, and Ivy with joy.
Has 4 teeth and scrunches up his nose when he smiles big.
Loves to wrestle with Hank (it's hard to say who likes it best).
Is still so friendly with strangers and regularly I'm told that someone's day has been made by their interaction with Ted.

Happy Birthday Paula!

2011-11-15T23:17:00.001-06:00

My friend Paula turned forty today, so her husband Matt threw a party in her honor on Saturday. Top secret. He called me a month and a half ago, wanting some ideas. Since Paula is such a classy gal, we had to create a magical night. Richelle and my mom pitched in, and what can't the three of us do together? It was a great time...Paula was surprised, Matt was happy, and we had a blast doing it all. Century Hall, branches, fall foliage and gourds, burlap, chalkboards, thrifted glass pitchers, twinkle lights, a seasonal delicious feast catered by Cheri Silva, a hot chocolate and hot cider bar, a jazz trio, a tree arch, a funny multiple-choice quiz about Paula, a hilarious roast by Matt, chocolate cake, dancing babies. What more could you ask for? Thanks to my sisters for feeding and playing fortune teller with my kids that night and for keeping Teddy's bum dry. Couldn't have done it without you.

Happy 40th, Paula!

Meeting Baby Hyrum

2011-11-09T07:28:00.000-06:00

Pure sweetness. (Sorry, I couldn't get some of them to orient correctly....I hate it when this happens!)

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T00:45:00.000-05:00

The day started out with orange-colored pancakes and tinted milk. Ruby and Hank got to walk in Ivy's school costume parade with the bonus party back in her classroom afterward. Ted could feel the excitement and kept flapping his feet and laughing at everyone. Then it was off to Dad's office for trick-or-treating, followed by a jaunt around the neighborhood with friends. Happy Halloween from our resident veterinarian, shark, and tree frog! P.S. My mom is awesome.

Grandpa's Cider Mill

2011-10-27T23:13:00.004-05:00

While in Michigan, we stumbled on a magical place in Coloma, from whence my roommate from college, Kerrin, hails. Grandpa's Cider Mill is the real deal: industrial cider press making cider from apples picked in orchards only feet away. A cider bar, where you can sample to your heart's content, where they mix fruit syrups (but not the sugary kind) into their original cider producing combinations like oatmeal, cranberry, watermelon (Hank's fave), orange (Ivy's fave), peanut butter, and almond (mine and Justin's fave). Add to that, baskets of honeycrisp apples near the door being sold by the bushel, a bakery on-site where you can watch pumpkin, cider, and blueberry donuts come out of the fryer, get drenched in cinnamon and sugar, only seconds before noshing. Heaven, I tell you.

Gift for Carrie

2011-10-27T10:37:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law Carrie had a birthday last month (before having a baby this month), and I made these for her spring herb garden.

The Reception

2011-10-26T23:43:00.000-05:00

We just got back from an outstanding trip to see Justin's family and attend his cousin Tim's wedding to Lindsay. Fall is definitely the best time to be in the Midwest. It was gorgeous! The wedding and reception were in Watervliet, Michigan, about a 2 hour drive from his parents' house. The wedding was in a beautiful Catholic church built in 1960 with neat tile designs and great stained glass. The reception that night was incredible...held at Millcreek Barns out in the country. We loved every minute of it...dinner was delish, Lindsay had decorated mason jars with twine, burlap, and lace, then filled them with fall flowers. The food was served family-style: a delish salad with pesto rolls, tenderloin of beef with mashed potatoes and demi-glace, baby carrots, a sausage lasagna pasta thing-y, and for dessert, an awesome white and raspberry cream wedding cake. Lindsay's dad made fudge in the shape of T and L, and there was a beautiful tray of mini caramel apples dipped in different toppings. There was a coffee bar with Italian sodas, hot chocolate, and steamers, and the coup de etat, a guy started making sliders (mini hamburgers) while the dancing was getting underway. It was a magical evening, cold and brisk. There was a firepit on the property and some brave souls ventured out under the starry sky to make wishes and roast marshmallows. Ted loved the part when he changed into his crocodile jammies. Hank loved the meatball appetizers on sticks. Ivy loved staying extra late with Grandma and Grandpa and dancing the night away. I loved it all.

Futbol!

2011-10-20T01:44:00.000-05:00

Hank just finished his first season of soccer. It has been a treat to watch. They play 3 on 3, no goalie, short field. Every week they have a new team name (this week they were the "Blue Trees" and last week they were the "Blue Rivers.") There is a lot of friendly roughhousing among teammates and opponents and the post-game treat is the all-important focus of the game. Hank circles back to play defense, dribbles the ball down the field, and gives me the thumbs up after he scores. Call me a soccer mom, I have to admit, I really love this.

Paper Art Fun

2011-10-18T10:49:00.001-05:00

While clicking around through this pinboard, I found this gem. So inspiring and funny and loving it.

Glowsticks

2011-10-16T22:50:00.001-05:00

Following a pin I found on pinterest, I picked up some glowsticks and put them in the bath tonight for the kids and turned off the light. Such fun!

8 months!

2011-10-14T00:35:00.001-05:00

Where is the time going? I know this is every mother of a baby's lament, but seriously! Christmas will be here before we know it!

At eight months, we are seeing lots of standing, pulling himself up on everything, eating all sorts of food, waving bye bye, and being Harriett the cat's biggest fan. (Harriett is not as big a fan of Ted...fur grabbing, tail pulling, you get the picture.) He still loves his mama the best, although Ivy, Hank, and Daddy get high marks from Mr. T.

A few items of business

2011-10-05T00:45:00.004-05:00

The ketchup was good. How did I know? Hank didn't say anything when I slathered it on his turkey dog the other day. Mission accomplished.

New Wilco. New Feist.

Did I ever mention The Flaming Lips concert Justin and I saw a few weeks ago? Crazy awesome. Confetti, Wayne in his space ball, streamers, strobe lights, Yoshimi. We had a great time, right up next to the stage. They are a good show. Loud, but good. I took pictures on Justin's phone, but they look an awful lot like these ones. I didn't lug my camera, wanting to live in the moment, but it would have been fun to capture the scene.

Catsup

2011-09-27T23:04:00.002-05:00

I made homemade ketchup today. The tomatoes that didn't get picked for salsa sat on my counter, glaring at me, an occasional tear of juice running down a split side. Today, I did what my mama told me to do: put them in a big pot and just cook them down. After simmering the big pot for about an hour, I used my handy thrifted food mill and proceeded with a hybrid of these two recipes. I haven't eaten it yet, warm ketchup isn't very appealing to me, but will tell you how it turned out tomorrow, when I make some real home fries. Or maybe meatloaf (my favorite recipe; add a splash of teriyaki sauce and a grated carrot to the saute). Down your hatch!

Teefies

2011-09-26T23:54:00.002-05:00

The first tooth came out a few days ago, barely enough to scrape a finger on. The little ridge was higher today, along with grumpiness and general displeasure with life. After a good nurse, the second tooth had broken through the gum and we were all so proud. This sweet little helper, on his knees at the dishwasher, sitting in his crib after waking, figuring out peek-a-boo and how if you drop something, they will usually pick it up and give it back to you, trying to pull himself up on anything that will hold his heft, is a good boy. We like him.

Celebrating the Indian Summer into Fall

2011-09-25T23:52:00.002-05:00

First day of Fall. Picnic of Vietnamese chicken curry and fresh rolls with Taco Bell quesadillas for the kidlets. Gorgeous Indian Summer weather, golden light that you want to bottle or dip a paintbrush in or guzzle by the bucket--anything to somehow get it in you--a hike to the view right at sunset, Ted on the swing for the first time, the remnants of pink rainbow cake for dessert before home. Lovely, magical evening. Welcome Fall!

Baby Shower with Cakes

2011-09-23T16:20:00.000-05:00

Well, it's another shower. This time for two gals expecting their first babies, a boy and girl respectively. My sister, Lauren, my mom on flower and tablecloth detail, and I got together for some simple delights...no games, and even the presents were sent home with the moms-to-be, to be enjoyed with their husbands, like Christmas. We sat and talked, compared birth stories (it's inevitable, even when you try to contain them!), and ate lunch. The cakes were fun: Lauren crafted the blue one and I made the pink one, which got a little out of hand. Six layers, made with cake mixes and butter and milk subbed for oil and water, and the thing was a tower. I felt like the Cake Boss skewering and frosting, crossing my fingers the thing wouldn't topple over. We dined on pulled pork with buns, salad and homemade dressing, fruit, scotcheroos, and the cake.

Hugely inspired by this (I love every detail of this shower!), we crafted our own version. I gifted the book to each mom-to-be and gave them a 12x12 frame to display the tree in the nursery, if they desired.

Bridal Shower

2011-09-16T13:31:00.000-05:00

These pictures are for you, Shauna! A group of us put together a garden party luncheon for our friend Celeste. Richelle, the hostess, had spruced up the yard to perfection and we christened the new porch overhang with a memorable fete. Even the cloud cover was a respite from the sun and eventually blew over into blue skies! After searching for the "perfect" gray and yellow runner for the table to no avail, I ended up at Walmart (not my favorite store, but they have their niche) and found this cheaply-made stripe fabric that was $5 for a bolt of 5 yards. I think it was supposed to be black and white, but the weave made it look gray. Perfect! I snatched up several bolts and just scrunched it down the tables, not even bothering to cut the fabric. Simple and easy, my favorite way to decorate. My friend Lisa let me tag along with her to the wholesale florist that morning, then my mom and I arranged them for the tables. Mums, fresh lemons on skewers, waxflower, seeded eucalyptus, salal, white tulips, and green hypericum berries mixed with sunflowers and oak leaf hydrangea from my yard. Celeste loves lemons, so we had a lemon dessert buffet after a yum lunch (provided by many friends) of quiches, spinach salad, fruit, and croissants. Lemon slices floating in water with ice from Sonic was a simple drink, since who really wants punch at lunchtime anyway? We then watched a video the groom made by the friend who set the two of them up, which helped us get to know his fun personality. Of course there was giggling at lingerie. A delightful time for a delightful bride-to-be!

Seven months!

2011-09-09T22:35:00.000-05:00

I stepped out of the shower and what did I see?

2011-09-08T23:35:00.000-05:00

This little guy, who minutes earlier had been playing with toys on the bedroom floor, had at last, "found" his mommy. He pulled himself into a sit on the cold travertine and squawked and hollered, laughing and waving his hands in the air. Then he crawled around and found some hair encrusted bobby pin, which Ivy promptly took away, and was so pleased with himself. I'm going to have to start cleaning the floors even better from now on.

Ivy is amazed...she hadn't seen him sit by himself until now.

Day in the Life

2011-09-03T13:38:00.001-05:00

Ted is learning how to play, crawl, make a mess of solid foods, and continues with the general cuteness. It is always fascinating to watch the evolution of a skill, the wheels in these little heads slowly cranking away, pulling the muscles into submission, the thrill of something new, whether it's flopping from one side to another, reaching a toy, putting said toy in mouth, or grabbing a face and pulling it in for a slobber. It's truly the first time the baby does something, whatever it is. Good thing our baby is so robust and hearty--a twenty-pounder!--for his older brother tugs, licks, and wrangles him like a much-loved kitten. And don't even get me started on his adoring cousin, Ruby. She is his number one fan and agitator (I mean "agitate" in the washing machine sense). We sure love this baby.

Bieber Fever

2011-09-03T13:27:00.000-05:00

Ivy and Lauren just got out of a major studio recording session.

2nd day of 2nd Grade

Listen here.

First Day of 2nd Grade

2011-09-01T01:12:00.000-05:00

Tuesday was Ivy's first day of second grade. She woke up several times during the night/morning, too excited to sleep. She is such a self-starter, getting herself up, showered, dressed, etc. with only the mother helping with hair. We all three walked her to school, where she found her desk (she was so excited for a desk!), put her lunchbag and backpack away, and seemed to take it all in stride. I love this girl...she's going to have a great second grade year! (Hank asked about her all day long--I'm not sure he was ready to give up his playmate, but luckily, he's found a new one...I'll post pics of Teddy Ruxpin and Hank wrestling tomorrow!)

Summer's Bounty

2011-09-01T00:57:00.000-05:00

It's eating's best season...scenes from dinner prep tonight.

Bridal Shower

2011-08-26T00:08:00.000-05:00

Last night the young women's group threw a surprise bridal shower for my friend Celeste at my mom's house. (For all the P-town peeps, Celeste is my dear comrade from PHS Shauna Howard's cousin.) I had bought a box of vintage wedding bells a few years back (because who knows when you're going to need paper bells, right?!), and they came in handy for the soiree. I love the last photo of my mom standing by her patio. I helped my mom hang them, then she made the floral arrangement, and the other leaders brought the cake and punch. I didn't stay for the party, but it looks like they had a good time. I love weddings and I love parties! So fun!

A Rich Life

2011-08-22T23:38:00.000-05:00

It seems like when the blog is neglected, it means that a lot of living is going on. We've had family visitors, a family reunion in McCall, lots of cleaning and organizing, swimming at the YMCA and abroad, watching movies and way too much Netflix, bike rides, trips to the river, walking to Grandma's house in the morning while Mom and Ted get a nap after the wild ride called nighttime, baby boot camp that lets Ted cry it out, but we all wake up happier, solid foods for our newly minted 6 month-old and twenty-pounder, new recipes and food on the grill, raspberries and tomatoes from the garden (Hank's preschool sunflower plant is as tall as our roof!), popsicles and homemade playdough, dinner and desserts and fun with friends, visits from the tooth fairy, walks to the park, evening concerts under the stars, books from the library, star-gazing on the trampoline, squirt gun wars, Harry Potter, and school shopping. Phew! It's been a great summer. While I welcome the schedule (wait, who am I kidding? I hate schedules!), I hope I will move toward autumn without regret--we've danced, we've eaten ice cream and sno-cones, we've decided to forgo the housework for play, we've decided to work instead of recreate. We've taken pictures to help us remember.

What we've been working on

2011-08-14T00:07:00.001-05:00

McCall Reunion 2011

2011-08-12T02:36:00.000-05:00

Toothless

2011-07-29T13:36:00.000-05:00

Ivy finally lost her second top tooth to a plate of german oven pancakes. She was determined not to pull it even though it was hanging by a thread and made talking, eating, and brushing difficult. i love her new wispy voice.

Hank

2011-07-29T13:33:00.000-05:00

Recent Photo Shoot

2011-07-27T13:48:00.000-05:00

Last week, I taught a class on photographing kids and babies, and in preparation, I shot some pics of little Chase Dog. I shot some pics of him when he was littler, so it was fun to see all the chub he'd accumulated. So so adorable.

Setting up the shot

to get this

Letters from Home

2011-07-21T16:50:00.000-05:00

Last week, my mom went up in the mountains for church girl's camp. When all of us kids went off to camp, there was usually a night where each youth received a letter from our parents (usually written by our mom), telling us how much we were loved, missed, and appreciated. I thought it would be fun for my mom to get some letters from each of her children (my dad had already written one at the invitation of the person organizing camp). I solicited the notes via email to my siblings, who all replied promptly (thank you so much!) their notes of love and gratitude. It was so fun to hear what they each had to say. After printing them out, I arranged them into a little envelope book, using vintage papers, wallpaper, washi tape, etc. sewed up the middle, and had it delivered by some friends going up to the camp midweek. She enjoyed getting it and we enjoyed doing it!

Can't Wait

2011-07-18T00:51:00.000-05:00

Ya'all come, now, ya hear? It's gonna be super!

Cribs

2011-07-12T12:56:00.000-05:00

Last week I happened upon this scene...I heard crying from Ted, who just woke up from a nap, then silence, followed by laughter and happy sounds. I walked into the room and before I could see anything, heard Hank cooing to Ted. Before I rescued Ted from a Toy Story 3-esque nightmare, I heard Hank say, "See, I'm such a fun brother!"

Five Months!

2011-07-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

It's Kitten Time!

2011-07-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

My grandparents got a cat with three kittens to keep down the mouse (and therefore, snake) population, and of course my little kittens wanted to see them ASAP. Ivy named one Orchid, one Raindrop, and I don't know about the third one. It was like Christmas...Hank insisted on wearing his winter coat and kind of mastered the "none of my skin touching the kitten" approach to holding. Reagan was a "waist holder" with the kitten near her navel, and Ruby dropped hers twice, no harm done. The mother cat was nearly a kitten herself (what is this world coming to?!), but very patient with all the visitors. Ivy's already scheduled a weekly Wednesday visit to the cats, but we'll see how that shakes out.

The excitement is tangible.

King Ted, the purveyor of fine felines.

"Bring ye all the cats to the storehouse..."

The black tails were killing me.

Road Trip to UT

2011-06-29T19:05:00.000-05:00

Just got back from a fabulous Fredin reunion in Park City, UT, with stops in Layton, UT, to see N and C's new house, and the gang coming to Boise for some mountain R&R. Great times. Barb found this amazing house in PC--it was a barn from the 1600s transported to the US from England and rebuilt, piece by marked piece, as the interior of the home. We had a great time at doing the Alpine Slide, Coaster, and Zipline at Park City Resort. Ivy loved the trampoline (double back flips!), as did Justin and Hank (the lady working said she thought he was the youngest flipper she'd seen). We took sidetrips to Jordanelle Reservoir and Heber City for milkshakes at the Dairy Keen and hung out next door at the sweetest old motel playground, complete with fake flowers in the planters under the windows. The weather was optimal, the conversation and cousin time perfection. We loved it all!

Ivy and a painting

2011-06-22T12:17:00.000-05:00

I don't know if I've ever featured the large painting my mom did for my guest room a couple years ago. It's acrylic on a thrifted canvas of the Columbia River. I love it. It reminds me of where I grew up. It had been a while since Ivy got her own photo taken, so we had some fun. I love this girl who is growing her bangs out, lost a tooth recently, and is a joy to be around.

He grabs! He slobbers! He chews!

2011-06-16T19:01:00.001-05:00

Thanks, Danyelle, for the Little Sapling teether. Ted loves it!

those toes are working so hard

baby fingers and knuckles are the best

The downside to turning four

2011-06-15T01:01:00.000-05:00

Seven shots! He's smiling now, but those did NOT feel good going in! The sweet nurse gave him lots of loot for being such a good patient. So thankful for modern medicine!

Morning in my bed

2011-06-10T21:47:00.000-05:00

Evening Light

2011-06-10T21:39:00.001-05:00

Are we gonna make it?

2011-06-10T21:37:00.000-05:00

First day of summer vacation yesterday. Ted looks how I feel.

Four months!

2011-06-09T21:35:00.000-05:00

At four months, Ted:
truly truly loves his mommy best. it's almost sad how he cries when i'm not around and the minute he sees me (and even more when I take him), the screaming stops and he smiles. he has this contented little face and even though it is kind of taxing carrying that many pounds around all day, it makes me melt. i treasure this time.
is still sleeping great through the night. like clockwork, he hits the sack for the final time (after an evening siesta) around 11:30 pm, to the theme music of some show on Netflix (right now, we're working our way, living room vacationing, through Bourdain).
doesn't like his pacifier anymore.
sleeps great in his bed by himself. it he is obviously sleepy, i lay him in his bed with his blankie in his hand and he sends himself to babyland.
grabs things. wants to be held constantly. this afternoon, i was cooking dinner for us and some neighbors and had him in the baby bjorn the entire time, a bead of sweat dripping down my back from the exertion. i need to work out more. he kept grabbing at everything, in that slow, early stage of grabbing that requires so much concentration and effort. it's adorable.
rolled over two months ago five days in a row and then promptly forgot how. haven't seen it since.
loves his big brother and big sister (it's mutual).
i should write too that he loves his daddy, too, and reserves some of his biggest grins for him.

In the Leafy Treetops

2011-06-07T13:04:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day 2011

2011-06-01T01:31:00.000-05:00

Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise.

Cleaning off Howard Smith's grave (my mom's maternal grandfather)

My maternal great-great grandfather.

Mr. Teddertons (nickname courtesy of Hank's ever-changing list)

2011-06-01T01:19:00.001-05:00

His feet are usually in this curled-up position.

Ahh, the chub is edible.

Easily my drooliest baby.

Working really hard here.

Hank Goes to the Dentist

2011-05-26T10:25:00.000-05:00

He did great--no cavities!!!

Surprise Party

2011-05-23T20:04:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, my friend's husband called me, wanting some ideas for his wife's 40th birthday. The wheels instantly started turning, and with a lot of help, we pulled off a really magical and fun night for the birthday girl. Since all good parties start with the invitation, I watercolor washed individual cards, stitched on some doily bits, and hand wrote the party information. To keep the element of surprise intact for everyone, not just the honoree, we kept the destination of our party a secret. (And since it was a location none of the guests had previously visited, their arrival was even more dramatic and exciting!) Guests were picked up in a party van (borrowed from a friend) throughout the neighborhood, then driven to the birthday girl's house, where they picked the birthday girl up with a big surprise. She thought she was going to dinner with her husband.

The invites were tucked in a glassine envelope with vintage sequin confetti and included a tag on which each guest wrote a note to the birthday girl.

The day of the party, we headed out to the party site, my grandparent's yard in Middleton. Here, Justin scales a tree to hang glass lanterns in the tree. This was one of his favorite pastimes as a boy, so he had a lot of fun doing it. He kept asking if we needed more lanterns hung, because he didn't want to come down.

Lanterns hung.

Shrimp cocktails (shrimp, cocktail sauce, a wedge of lemon, and celery stalk to use as a fork) and sparkling cider in plastic wine glasses, along with skewers of fruit, cheese, summer sausage, and marinated mozzarella balls with grape tomatoes, were waiting on ice in coolers in the vans.

The group pitched in a few bucks for something the birthday girl can plant in her yard or enjoy on her patio. We hung the tags included in the invitations on the tree.

The menu: Goodwood BBQ chicken and pork, fancy coleslaw, green salad with marinated vegetables, Thai peanut noodles, assorted fresh fruits, potato bread and butter, and a dessert buffet that included pecan bars, lime bars, sugar cookies, and chocolate cake that my sister Emily made.

Striped paper straws from here.

Vintage sodas and water bottles in a huge galvanized tin with ice. After shopping around, I found a sweet deal on 9 sodas for $9.99 at Cost Plus World Market, which was less that the $1.59 I found other places. Drinking out of bottles eliminated having a bunch of cups laying around.

One of the best things about the party was renting linens (napkins, tablecloths), dishes, and silverware. We picked them up the day before the party pressed, clean, ready to go, then used them, then packed them back up in the crates, dirty. We didn't have to return them until the following Monday. The rental company then washes them at no extra charge. The price was about the same as buying nice paper plates and plastic silverware, without the flyaway factor. I feel like ceramic plates, real silverware, and cloth napkins really elevated the wow, without upping the budget too much. My mom cut fresh lilacs from my yard and arranged them simply in glass square vases. I made a burlap runner for the middle of the table. Again, burlap is cheap, and with a 40% off Joann's coupon, it was an even better deal. You don't need 100 different varieties of flowers and ice sculptures to pull off a "look"--good food and good conversation go a long ways in creating a memorable event.

After the food, my two sisters, my dad, and I performed a medley of songs from each decade of the birthday girl's life. Lauren is amazing at coming up with this stuff. We sang the key parts of "Take a Chance" by Abba (70s), "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor (80s), "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion (90s), and "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely" by the Backstreet Boys (00s). Then Lauren did a couple encore numbers and hit it out of the park. The guests lingered and chatted under the canopy of trees. A light rain misted over the gulch, but nobody wanted to leave. The tree limbs kept everyone dry. We relit the lanterns that snuffed out, then the sprinkling passed on. It was a magical night.

His favorite person

2011-05-23T19:04:00.000-05:00

I guess we should be grateful things are working as they should be....

2011-05-23T18:50:00.000-05:00

Three months and a side of Bakugans

2011-05-09T20:42:00.001-05:00

The baby:
has the funniest head profile--totally cone-headed and flatbacked. I ascribe this to sleeping through the night and I'll take the cone head over an endless night any day
coos and goos and talks and laughs
slobbers a ton
has his daddy wrapped around his finger--he cries whenever Justin puts him down, like instant wailing as he feels himself get lowered to the swing/car seat/floor mat
loves to get his diaper changed and take a bath
smiles instantly every time he sees Ivy
insists on being held facing outward
engages with and smiles at everyone he meets
turns his head from side to side constantly
goes to bed at 11:30 PM like clockwork after we've watched a show on Netflix (now that I've cruised through all 110 episodes of The First 48, I've moved on to another fave, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations)
adores his mama

I'm getting too old for this

2011-05-04T00:26:00.000-05:00

Superb show with Lauren last night in Nampa: The Head and the Heart. Tiny venue, I could have given a back rub to the keyboard player. That would have been awkward. We high-fived them when they came off the stage and talked with one of the singers after the show. Nice. I took some pics with Lauren's camera, hopefully she'll post pics on her blog soon. Erin and Em, go see them in SLC tomorrow night. Stat. Also great live, their opener, The Devil Whale, although the CD I bought for $10 at the show was not quite up to par with their performance. Some catchy tunes, hopefully they'll do well in the future. Really nice folks, too.

Four!

2011-05-04T00:04:00.000-05:00

Hank turned four today. What a sweet boy he is (usually). He regularly surprises us with things he remembers and comes up with--he keeps us laughing. Today he requested rainbow cupcakes to take for his treat for preschool. I had found some plastic shark toppers and we put those on the blue ocean frosting. Then we celebrated again after dinner with the rest of the rainbow cupcakes, this time with paper shark fins, presents, and candles. I have seen marked growth in this last year--preschool, primary, playing with the neighborhood kids--all have turned him from a little boy into a big kid. If nothing else, at least he's stopped biting Ruby. Hallelujah! He is a joy in our family.

Hank, at four, loves:
animals, almost as much as his big sister--he specializes in dinosaurs, sea creatures (the combination of marine dinosaur is almost too perfect for him), fossils, and amphibians
to eat meat, especially pork (he loves the sliced Chinese BBQ pork I get for pork and seeds)
jumping on the trampoline
climbing
watching inordinate amounts of TV and sneaking inordinate amounts of contraband snacks while his mom naps
his baby brother Ted (especially kissing the back of his head, where the softest hair lies)
cleaning the toilets
playing with his friends Paige, Reagan, Jonah, Heaton, Calem, and most of the time, Ruby
chocolate chip cookie dough straight from the bowl
building forts out of couch cushions

The other night, Hank took some non-washable marker to his hands, telling Justin he was a tree frog. Orange tips, green palms. You got it, buddy.

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T00:24:00.001-05:00

Getting one more photo shoot out of the Easter outfits. This time at my grandparent's house in Middleton.

Feeding nearly 50 people doesn't leave many leftovers.

Sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins.

Emily, Lisa, Blaze

Lisa and Blaze and a delicious piece of angel food cake.

Emily, Erin, Alison, Lucy, and Sarah

Grace, Craig, Goldie

My cousin Mitch signed the papers to play basketball at Utah State next year.

The egg hunt.

Trent and AJ

Hank traded with someone for the elusive golden egg. Inside? Jelly beans.

Sam, Trig, Maddie, and Noah

Trig

Suzy, Vanessa, my mom, Maria (in back), Harrison, Hannah

Eli


AJ and Noah check out the loot.

The allure of water and mudfights.

Pre-Easter Photos

2011-04-20T10:32:00.000-05:00

Perfect Spring morning before church, coordinating outfits (I NEVER do this!), cooperative children (except #3), and there you have it--picture time. Oh, and pie. You can never have too much pie. Today's selections: cherry, rhubarb, and lemon meringue. All from scratch. They were delish and gobbled up. Spring pictures, spring outfits, spring pie, with some bare toes for effect. A winning combination.

Cousins, Identical Cousins

2011-04-11T17:38:00.000-05:00

Those pictures of Ted and Henry got me thinking about these similarly-aged pictures of Lucy and Hank when they were 6 and 2 months old, respectively.

Two Months!

2011-04-11T17:32:00.000-05:00

As usual, Ted's little buddy Hank had to be in all the pictures.

2 Little Butterballs

2011-04-11T17:12:00.000-05:00

We sure enjoyed Sarah and Henry's visit last week...Sarah was house hunting in John Day, OR, for their upcoming move. Henry is almost 7 months, and Ted just turned 2 months, so it was fun to see them together.

The Cat and the Baby

2011-04-06T11:49:00.000-05:00

Which is bigger? Mrs. Bigger's cat or Mrs. Bigger's baby? Mrs. Bigger's cat is just a little Bigger.

My Dad's Birthday Party

2011-04-02T01:29:00.000-05:00

I'm posting these pictures even though they're quite yellow (wrong light setting--boo!) without editing them, partly because the glowing light really captures the feeling at family birthday parties. The guests gathered round the antique table, a homemade Italian Cream Cake on the glass stand, the children in as close proximity to the celebrant as humanly possible while the candles are getting lit without getting burned, the song, the blowing by everyone. Dad, you just get better and better with time. I love you!

Six Weeks (last Wednesday)

2011-03-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

If you've been wondering what I've been up to, I've been making this baby fat. That's my job, exclusively. He's still a peach of a guy, soft and cozy, the perfect snuggling companion. If you look at the following three pictures fast, it almost looks like he's doing the running man.

R.I.P.

2011-03-30T16:16:00.000-05:00

This is the second betta fish we've had to flush--the first was right after we moved to Illinois from Iowa and Mr. Bubbles (a birthday gift to Justin from our dear friends the Allens) didn't make the journey too well. Finn Finn was an experiment in responsibility--what starts as "let's see if our kids can take care of a living thing" quickly becomes an exercise in kitchen sink-side microbiology, as the algae forms and forms. On good days, right after his tank was cleaned, Finn Finn was a moving, happy creature, swimming around like a real fish. But most weeks, visitors to our home would tap on the tank to see if he was really alive, such a stagnant creature was surely a decoy. On the day he died, I was at the end of my fish-loving rope, ready to throw him to Harriet if SOMEONE didn't clean his tank immediately. The algae was grossing me out. In my kitchen, for pete's sake. That night, the kids and the dad cleaned the tank, everything going swimmingly (I can't help myself), then they dumped Finn Finn back into the tank. Where he usually did the fish equivalent of the dance of joy, Justin said he went spastic, flailing around the tank and whizzing to the bottom. Next thing they knew, he was floating. There were reported tears from the children, and the usual regret of possibly killing a pet. It was his time. I'm still kind of grateful.

First day of spring

2011-03-21T15:34:00.000-05:00

This blog is quickly becoming a record of Ted, but I guess that's my prerogative....it's for those who don't get to kiss this downy head every day.

Hank took this one.

The Many Faces of Ted

2011-03-16T00:44:00.000-05:00

The First Month

2011-03-11T01:10:00.001-06:00

Phew! Is it already Friday? In between feedings and endless diaper changes, sweeping the kitchen floor and watching episodes of our latest Netflix addiction--only previously viewed strictly on vacations on hotel televisions--The First 48, my newborn morphed into a baby and turned one month old! Here are some from yesterday's photo shoot. Anytime I have the baby on the floor with a camera in hand, Hank has to lay right alongside. I have a feeling there will be many more photos like these... Notice Ted is sporting a Vincent Price coif--I say we bring back receding hair as "dignified."

All I can think of when I look at this progression is Nacho saying, "A nice pile drive to the face..."

Blessing Day Cookies

2011-03-05T22:14:00.000-06:00

Now that Sarah's on the other side of the country, we rely on Lauren to make the sugar cookies. I commissioned her to bake up a batch for Ted's blessing day, a couple of weeks ago. She brought these beauties on a red willow ware platter, the perfect hue of robin's egg frosting, sprinkled with magic itself, a mix of silver sugar, pearl dragees, and white jimmies. They tasted as good as they look. Thanks, Lauren!

2011-03-03T21:56:00.000-06:00

Bros

2011-03-02T20:59:00.000-06:00

Ted looks like a turtle in all these.

Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day.

2011-03-02T20:28:00.001-06:00

My friend Richelle totally had Ivy's number when she brought over this stuffed dog because it looked like Grandma's dog, Abby. She of course named it "Abby" and they've been inseparable ever since.

From my family letter on Monday:

Erin wanted me to write, and I have a few minutes while Hank is watching Wonder Pets and Ted (for some reason I always want to call him Bert) is sleeping. It's been quite a morning. I was in bed (after several night feedings) when Ivy rushed in, said, "It's 8:46! I'm going to get a tardy!" (school starts at 9). She then threw on her clothes and shoes, brushed her hair, and ran out the door. Luckily, Justin had already made her lunch earlier. Not two minutes later, she came back in the house, wimpering and crying. She tripped on the sidewalk and said her arm wasn't moving and it hurt really bad. I had her lay on the couch and had the presence of mind to remove her fleece to look at it, and the bone was sticking out (not breaking the skin) right above her left wrist. I immediately knew it was broken. I calmed her down, we said a prayer, called Justin, who came home, and called Dad, who came over and helped stabilize the arm with a splint made of cardboard. He told Ivy what to expect at the ER, and she was a brave girl, crying intermittently in pain and asking us to hold up the book about Pandas so she could look at the pictures and keep her mind off it. She said I could stay home with Ted and Hank, and that Justin could take her to the hospital, because she initially thought that no one would be here when Hank woke up and she was concerned about that. Sweet girl. Justin took her to the hospital, where they x-rayed her arm, found the tip of the radius bone was broken and the top of it displaced, but it kept slipping out when they set it (she was under sedation for that part), so she got some pins put in to keep it in place. Thank goodness for modern medicine and doctor grandpas who know what to do. I was feeling so bad for her, seeing her in pain, and feeling responsible because I was asleep and didn't get her out the door in time. Nothing like maternal guilt. She's a tough girl and we'll both get through this.

For Sarah

2011-02-28T15:11:00.000-06:00