We're so glad when Daddy comes home!

J arrived home safely and I can speak for us all when I say we are all so glad to have him back! I’m not quite sure why, but this particular trip seemed especially long. A few weeks into it, AJ asked how much longer Dad would be gone. When I told her it would still be three more weeks, she got a very sad look and said, “It’s just that when Daddy is gone too long, I start to forget what he feels like.” Of course! Pictures of him are all around so she knows what he looks like, she hears his voice on the phone so that’s not hard to forget, but I can attest that few things in the world feel as good as his hugs and I think we all start to feel a little hug deprived after a while. So it makes perfect sense when he gets back that she can’t stop touching his face, patting his arm, hugging his leg. . . She’s just reacquainting herself with what he feels like, and truth be told I can’t wait for my turn either!

He got these cute M&M shirts for the kids while on his trip. AP has dubbed them the "Three Mn'teers"

Breadsticks, and pretzels, and pizza, oh my!

Well along with the adjustment to all day school, AJ has had to get used to school lunch. At first she was excited about taking lunch to school, but after the first week the truth came out. In tears she told me, “It’s hard that I am the only kid in my class with celiac disease. I’m the only one that always brings my own lunch!” So we looked over the lunch calendar to see if there were any days that she might be able to go through the lunch line with the rest of her class. We found two days that she might be able to get one or two of the things offered. It was looking a little grim, until I pointed out there really wasn’t much on there that she liked anyway. She agreed and said the only thing she really felt bad about missing out on was pizza day as well as the giant pretzels (come to find out she had always wanted to try one of those) and maybe breadsticks. Well that was easy enough to solve: A couple of times a month I would make pretzels, pizza, and breadsticks for her to take with her to lunch. The result: I’m learning to make one mean gluten-free pretzel and I have one happy little girl (and boy I might add)!














AP had fun making a "monster face" pizza which he was very excited for his friend to try. I am always a little nervous to share my gluten-free concoctions because my kids already feel like they are missing out somewhat, and I worry that their friends might try it and find it gross only compounding the feelings of being "left out" of the food world. However, AP's friend tried his pizza and stated it was the best he had ever had!

Discover the wonderful

I think one of the best things about being a kid is how easily the world can be transformed from ordinary to “wonder” full. I remember when I was little all it took was closing my eyes and spinning three times for the horse pastures to become unicorn forests and the creek to become an ocean full of mermaids and fairy islands. I love to see the same thing happen with my kids as they play. The other day AJ didn’t have anyone to play with so I suggested she build fairy houses in the backyard. We tried to enlist AP’s help, but he was skeptical and insistent that we were wasting our time (he believes in more tangible things like robots and aliens). So he busied himself digging in the sand while we searched the yard for rocks, twigs, and other materials to build the houses. AJ got very into it and besides building a house she set up a small rock table complete with acorn bowls and a pantry of berries and seeds. She also made a very small cookbook that included recipes such as seed salad and berry cookies. She even took the little birdhouse she made last year and added a few craft gems (since sparkly things attract fairies) to use as the post office. AP continued to make comments to dissuade her, insisting that he needed proof, but AJ wouldn’t be deterred, telling him that fairies and unicorns can only be seen by those who believe, everyone else just sees horses and butterflies. That made him stop and think, but he still said that he needed some more evidence. The next day one of the acorn bowls was tipped over and the food was gone. That was enough for AJ, but AP figured it was just animals or the wind. So the next night AJ left a few packages at the post office before going in. Right before bed she peeked out the window and was sure she saw a small light flashing by the house. Sure enough the next morning the packages were opened and the food she had left was gone. AP’s response: “I’m still not so sure, but I’m starting to believe a little.” What about you?

the beginnings of the Fairy house. . .


and after several days and gifts from AJ. Pretty soon there won't be any room left for the fairy ;)

Food Fun

Most of the time AP would rather play with his food than eat it. . .

Just another manic Sunday

Today was stake conference so instead of church starting at 1 PM it started at 10 AM. Since J is away, I was on my own getting the kids ready and off. No problem. I packed the church bag the night before complete with paper, pencils, crayons, coloring books, board books, toys, snacks, even some surprise sonic coloring pages I had printed off the computer. Whew, that was ready. Then much to my delight, D slept until 9 so I had plenty of time to get the older two kids and myself ready. All I had left to do was get D dressed and fed. We were right on schedule. I sent AP and AJ out to the car while I gathered our monsterously huge church bag (which weighs a ton and is still not big enough to hold all of our stuff), D, the keys and a few other miscellaneous items. I went to step down to go out the garage door and my heel caught on the step. Already being off balance with my hands full and the heavy bag I couldn’t regain my footing and had just enough time to drop all the extra stuff and throw my now free arm over D’s head before he and I slammed in the wall. Fortunately he didn’t hit too hard, but does have a red mark and he did scream for a couple of minutes ( which of course made me want to cry I felt so bad). Well we finally got off but I could tell the back tire was low (even though I just had air put in it yesterday) so once we got to the church and found a place to park (which in and of itself took several minutes) I checked the tire and sure enough it is very low; almost flat. Well nothing I could do at that moment so off we headed inside. At that point, all of the opening stuff was over and the stake president was just beginning his talk. So much for being on time. Oh well. We sat at the very back of the primary room overflow in my hopes that if D needed to nurse I could do it discreetly in the corner and not have to march everyone off to the mother’s lounge. Well D didn’t need to nurse, but he did get very cranky/tired so I had to pace the hall with him. AP and AJ did well for the first while without me, but then kept coming out to ask questions/show me stuff, and rather than settle down D was getting more upset so finally I decided it was time to pack it up and head home. All in all I felt it was a good effort, and, for us, a pretty good Sunday.

What's going on with baby D?!

D loves to play peek-a-boo with his blankie. I had laid him down while I went to check on dinner and and when I came back he was rolling around in his blanket having a great time!

Here he is first thing in the morning. AP's favorite part of the day may very well be when D gets up. AP loves to be the one to go into him in the morning. Here they are playing in the crib. Silly boys!

D has also learned to blow zerberts (which is not surprising as much as AP and AJ love to give them to him). He was blowing a ton until I got the camera. Then I couldn't get him to do it again.

Fall begins!

Fall is here and I love it! I love the cooler weather, the changing colors, and the crunchy leaves. Here are AP and AJ all ready to head off to school. What a beautiful morning!However, the first week of September hit and it got cold! come Sept 1 AP and D both had coughs and runny noses. AP has mostly gotten over his but D's nose just won't stop running! UGH.

Apparantly not only has cold season begun, but the wasps are very agitated right now and AP happened to be the brunt of their anger. He got stung on the way home from his friend's house. He stopped at another friend's house along the way and I got the following phone call: "Uh Heather, A is at my house and he's crying because, oh hold on. (in the back ground: "what happened?" (While Crying)"I was running home, (deep breath) I was running excitedly so I wasn't watching and a wasp flew right at me and STUNG me." The running excitedly part cracked me up so luckily it was over the phone and I could hide the fact I was laughing, but the best part was that his friend, in a very empathetic way, repeated it word for word. Anyway by the next day his arm was twice it's usual size and bothering him a whole lot. After constant ice packs, benadryl, and ibuprofen the swelling finally went down. I can't believe I didn't think to take a picture until two days later, so you can hardly tell but here they are any way.


Also of note, J and I also hit our big 10 year mark! I have to say I feel pretty lucky to be married to such a wonderful man who I am crazy about. Anyway, he has had a lot going on with work so we agreed to celebrate our anniversary a month late when things weren't quite so demanding. Yet sweet man that he is, and despite our agreement, he sent me flowers that came with a pretty silver locket (he said it was either chocolates or a locket and since he knew I didn't want the former. . .). AJ whose fascination with lockets goes way back keeps asking, "What are you going to put in your locker mom?" I told her that I'm not sure yet, and that it is actually called a locket, but the questions continue. "Can I wear your locker mom?" "Can I put something in your locker Mom?" "When are you going to decide what to put in your locker?" I've subsided correcting her, because she keeps forgetting and I think it is cute anyway.