Sibit!

Yesterday, our upstairs neighbors (Ron and Connie Garrett) brought Luke a present: a beta fish in a little aquarium. Since Luke kept looking at the fish and saying, "Sibit!" we decided that could be its name.

My New Love

I just recently discovered ebay. Well, I just recently USED ebay for the first time. It started because Luke was really whiny last week, and in an attempt to distract him, I looked up Teletubbies clips on Youtube. Luke thought they were really funny, so I tried to find a DVD at Wal-mart. None! Target? None! Amazon? None! So I looked it up on ebay and found one for 10 dollars with free shipping. I was stoked!

And then literally the next day, I found a hole in my very favorite jeans. I was bummed because they come from a store called Maurice's that I've never seen here. I looked up the store online, and you can look at clothes, but you can't order/ buy any from the website. Stupid! So I looked up store locations, and the closest one is in North Carolina! I called Megan to see if she'd buy some in Utah and send them to me (Can you tell that I REALLY love these pants?) but then Jared found some on ebay that are just my size! We were the only people to bid, so I got my favorite Maurice's Jeans for 8 dollars. I love ebay!

Hats Off to Luke!

Since I don't have a daughter, I have to do photo shoots with Luke. He was a pretty good sport about it today.


Cowboy Luke


Hook 'Em Horns


Ready for Snow


"This is kind of getting old."


"Mom! This is officially not fun anymore!"

Already So Hard

There's pumpkin bread in the kitchen, and I want some! Even after my deep pondering, it only took HOURS for my resolve to weaken. I'm going to hide in my room where I can't see or smell it, but OH MY GOSH! Is this what it's like for recovering alcoholics? I feel like I should form a new group called EA (Eaters Anonymous). I have great respect for those with self control. I hope to join your ranks. Here I go to hide from temptation...

A New Resolve

Over Christmas, I saw my mother and was amazed. She has lost nearly 40 pounds since around March of last year. Looking at her, I decided I really had no more excuses. So I spent the money that I was going to spend on a year pass to the Virginia Living Museum and got a pass to the community center. I have been really good at working out. I've been going for about an hour almost every day, but I haven't lost much weight. So I've decided. I HAVE to change my eating habits. My mom is sending me her copy of "The South Beach Diet" which is what she's followed to lose so much weight. I don't have incredible amounts of will power when it comes to food (ah! I love my sweet tooth), but I'm sick of feeling bad about myself. What do I really want more? That cookie or to feel good again? I've done really well so far today, and I feel proud of myself. Maybe I can do this after all. It gives a whole new perspective on goal setting. I'm excited for the book to get here so I'll have more ideas of menus to follow. So far, I've just been counting calories (roughly, since I'm not always taking the time to measure everything out).

And I know this is not quite related, but it's given me an entire new perspective on religion. Okay. Here me out. I know a lot of people who can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to dedicate their life to Christ when they understand the joy that follows that kind of dedication. I remember feeling sad for people on my mission who felt that the gospel was a good thing but didn't feel ready to follow its teachings. Even at the time, I could understand a little. It's a big change to completely rebuild beliefs and in many instances an entire new way of life.

Well, I feel that way about healthy living. I know that exercise and eating right will make me happier and bless my life. But it's easy to find excuses not to do it. I've even done the hopeless, "I'm going to eat everything bad I want today because tomorrow I'm giving it all up." As Jared kindly pointed out, that never works. I think it was the contemplation about the gospel that gave me the resolve to really try. I don't want to be a person who gives up easily because something is difficult. I'm not that kind of person when it comes to most things, so I decided I can be dedicated to healthy living as well.I know that eating better and exercising will make me happier. For brief times in my life, I've even done it, and I know the truth of it. So why not do it? What is there to lose? Wish me luck!

All Bundled Up

One of things I love about Luke is how cute he looks when he wears his beanie. I was too scared to try and nab pictures of him outside--it's been really cold for one and I didn't want him outside for a long time while I try to catch the perfect picture. For another thing, Luke has yet to learn to heel. He does the opposite--bolt and run the worst possible direction. I didn't want him running into parking lots while I chase after with the camera. Thus, you get to see how adorable Luke is when he's bundled up....in the kitchen. I know it's kind of the same picture over and over, but so many turned out cute that I couldn't stop!













My personal favorite.

It's Back!

Much to Jared's dislike, I LOVE American Idol. I really got into it for the first time last season. I watched bits and pieces of previous seasons, but last season I became a true fan. I even had a book for tracking each episode. There were places to write down predictions of who was going to be voted off. And there were places to track the judge's comments.

Jared and I only had one car in Utah, and Jared had to work on Tuesday nights. My sister Amber would pick me up from school every Tuesday, and we would watch American Idol and eat pizza. (Oh...I finally figured out how I managed to gain this 15 pounds...) Amber and I would take turns recording in my book, and then we'd always vote after each show. After we voted, Amber and I would make our predictions of who was out, and then call mom and my sister Megan to get their predictions as well. We were all a little psycho about it.

This year, my friend Leslie has been so kind to let me crash her place for the last 2 weeks to watch American Idol. Jared and I don't get any tv channels :( To be honest, Leslie and I have chatted more than we've paid attention, but that's all kinds of fun in and of itself. Last night, Nora came too, and we had a true girls' fest that I at least have really missed!



I'm not such a fan of the new judge. I think it draws out the process. But then....I don't like this part of the show as much. It doesn't really get good until we know the final 12. And is it just me not paying attention, or are the clips more boring than previous years? Just a few more weeks to go before it gets really exciting!

Some Favorite Things About Luke

Recently I've tried listing some of my favorite things about Luke in my journal. The list actually started to offset some of the things he does that annoy me. I feel bad that I honestly get annoyed and/or frustrated with him several times a day. My frustration never lasts long because I know none of his obnoxious behavior is intentional. And also, Luke moves on so quickly that the thing he did to annoy me is over and done within minutes. Plus, he's so lovable that I just can't stay mad.

Anyway, I tried to catch pictures of some of the things that I love about Luke.



Luke has recently discovered "the fake laugh." You know the one--the awkward chuckle when you either don't get a joke or don't think the joke is funny. Well, Luke's started doing his own version. Only his is "Nothing's really funny, but I really want you to notice me and give me attention." I think it's adorable.



One of my favorite things about all babies, but especially about Luke, are chubby hands. I love how it looks like he's had a rubber band around his wrist, and I love the dimples in his hands, and I LOVE the way his hands reach and grab things. It's indescribable, but it looks so sweet and innocent.



I LOVE Luke's chubby cheeks and his pouty mouth. They are so cute!

Some more things I love about Luke:

1. I love the way he looks when he's sleeping.
2. I love the way he looks right when he wakes up: pink cheeks, disoriented expression.
3. I love the way he's started hugging my legs and putting his hands out to be picked up or cuddled. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right.
4. I love it when he plays with sounds. He likes rolling his tongue, blowing raspberries, and recently shouting "Sibit!" I don't know what it means, and I don't think he does either, but he loves the sound.
5. I love watching him play with books. It makes me happy that he loves something that I love too.
6. I love that Luke has a favorite blanket. It makes me laugh when he sees it and smile giggles and cuddles it to his face. Again, I love that he and I have a blue blanket in common.
7. I love his fat legs! I couldn't get a good picture because he kept moving and I couldn't focus the camera, but they are so cute.
8. I love his laugh! (See forthcoming video of Luke laughing at the Baby Einstein puppets)
9. I love the way Luke interacts with Jared. They've created a new game where Luke runs and Jared follows behind stomping his feet. Luke things it's so funny! He also loves being scared by his dad. Jared will hide around a corner and yell, "Boo!" at Luke. Luke jumps, screams, and then laughs hysterically. I love seeing my boys together.
10. I love knowing that Luke is literally a part of Jared and I. I love knowing that he is OURS. When I think about that and where he came from and how he got here, I just feel SOOOO lucky. We have a little piece of heaven in our home. I'm trying to say that I love him just because he's my son.

Whose Child is This?

I know I've told some people this, but even after a year of seeing Luke everyday, I sometimes look at him and think, "That's not what my child should look like." Admittedly, he's better in every way than what I pictured and expected, but I had imagined a blonde haired, light eyed child. Jared and I sometimes try to speculate where he gets his looks, but neither of us can figure it out. We're just proud that he's so cute! And someday I know I'll get used to his big, beautiful, brown eyes.



Luke's brown eyes.



After his bath and nap the other day, Luke woke up with curly hair. Jared and I couldn't figure that one out. Both of us have bone straight hair. I guess some people on my side have a little wave, but this intensity made us think maybe he really was switched at birth.



More of Luke's curls

Boy for Sale!

I'm going to vent, and since Jared isn't here at the moment, I'm venting to cyberspace. This is what I have spent the last hour doing. Just imagine.

I'm playing with Luke in his room, and I smell something funny. Check his pants. Yep. Poopy. I take off his pants to change him. And...it's all down his leg and all over his clothes. So I strip him completely and I go to the bathroom to put his poopy clothes in the sink to scrub later. Then I turn on the water in the tub to get it hot. I walk to the patio to throw out his diaper and come back to the bathroom. I walk to the tub to check the temperature. Good. And I realize, "Hey. My sock got wet." I start looking around for where Luke must have peed all the while thinking, "How did he have time to come in here and pee? I was only gone for a second!" Just then, in comes Luke. He slips and falls down. Rolls over. Gets up, slips and falls again. Well, I guess I know where the pee is. A HUGE puddle in the middle of the floor that is now not just in the middle of the floor but all over Luke and splashed around. Thanks, Luke. I grab a towel and wipe it up. I go to the washing machine to throw it in and hear a yell. Go back to the bathroom. Luke's got his fingers stuck between the toilet seat and the lid. Get him unstuck from the toilet and drop him in the tub. I scrub him down, and grab the cup to wash his hair. Fill up the cup, get ready to douse his head. Luke swipes the cup, and THROWS it out of the tub. Water all over the bathroom floor. Great! So I finish washing his hair, get him out. Towel him off a little and then go back to the bathroom to mop up the water. Come back to the bedroom, and step in something wet. What?! Luke peed AGAIN? What is he? A dog? And now that I'm done venting, I need to mop the bathroom floor and scrub out the clothes in the sink.

A tour of the Governor's Mansion

Saturday was our last day of "freedom" to do something fun as a family before Jared would start classes again. We decided to go to Colonial Williamsburg to do the tour of the Governor's Mansion. When we got there, however, the tour wasn't quite what we expected. The mansion is actually shut down during the weekdays until late January for some extensive cleaning, repairs, and updates (They're adding wiring for electric lights instead of candle light). On the week-ends, it's open for limited tours, but we only get to see the entry way, ball room, and dining room. It was actually cool to see how they clean it all, but it didn't make for very good pictures because everything was covered in plastic. So, Jared and I are planning on going back for a full tour when it re-opens, and we'll post some inside pictures then.

As it was, we explored the gardens again after the inside tour. It is so beautiful there! This is definitely my favorite place in CW!



The maze in the mansion gardens




A better view from where we were standing to see the maze. We were on top of the look-out which is built over where the ice house used to be.




Luke and I on the look out.



Jared and Luke on the look out.

Luke Takes a Dive

After we went on the little tour of the Governor's Mansion, we let Luke explore the gardens a little bit. Luckily Jared was there to save him.

A Walk to Remember

It was wonderful to have some time together before school started up again. After the puzzle was finished (finally!) Jared, Luke, and I had some time to hang out and do some fun things together. One afternoon, Jared wanted to go to Wallermill and take some pictures from the look out. It was beautiful, and Luke especially had fun walking around. He loved the water.

Puzzle Pieces

After getting back in Williamsburg, I mentioned to Jared that I had never done a puzzle. So we decided to get one. Jared insisted that it had to be at least 1,000 pieces (which probably turned out to be a mistake, but whatever) So this is what we did for about 3 days straight. Jared was much more into it that I was. I could only work for about 20 minute increments before I wanted to blow up the puzzle, table, and anything else in the room. Jared, on the other hand, was hard core. He probably did 3/4 of the puzzle or more.



I tried to get Jared to do a normal smile, but he always does these weird ones when it's just him in the picture. Maybe this photo will teach him a lesson.



Luke helping with the puzzle. Actually he mostly threw the pieces on the floor or tried to eat them, so we didn't let him around the puzzle much.



The finished result!

A Pet Peeve

Like every couple, Jared and I argue about some stupid things. For example, Jared hates the way I let the toilet seat slam down. What do I hate? Well...



I hate the way Jared falls asleep on the couch. And Jared LOVES sleeping on the couch, so he always gets mad when I wake him up. And I don't sleep as well when Jared isn't with me so I ALWAYS wake him up and try to talk him into coming to bed. It's one of our ongoing battles. This picture was taken on New Year's Eve. I woke Jared up with the flash, and can you guess? Yep, another argument.

Now of course, when I say argument, it's not really an ARGUMENT. It's more of a predictable conversation where we get a teensy bit aggravated with each other. Here's how it goes.

Me: Baby? Baby, it's time to come to bed.

Jared: Babe! (in a whiny voice)

Me: It's time to come to bed.

Jared: Ummm (random mumbling and turns over)

Me: Don't you love me?

Jared: Yes (but in an annoyed tone)

Me: Then why don't you want to be with me?

Jared: I do want to be with you, but I'm comfortable here.

Me: But I need you.

Jared: I'll come In a minute

Me: I know you're lying. You always say that, and then you don't come for a long time.

And so on until I finally annoy Jared enough that he will get up and stomp to bed.

Ah! Sweet love!

Luke Gets in Trouble

Jared got me a really cool video camera for Christmas. The only problem is that I'm a little technologically challenged. So...when I tried to download the first really funny video, I did it incorrectly, and I couldn't upload it directly into blogger. Jared put it into Youtube and then put the Youtube video into our blog. Enjoy. It's really funny. And then just ignore the other related videos below the real one. I have no idea what they are, but they aren't from me.