End of Season

Stevie’s last two games of the season were last Saturday, and he did a great job. They don’t actually keep score, mind you, but nonetheless all the kids worked hard and had fun. After the last game, there was a little ceremony where the teams lined up and sat around the infield, and the coaches called the kiddos up one by one and handed them their trophies.

At every game, the coach gives out a “game ball” to a player who’s done a particularly good job. Stevie got the game ball at the last game because he was the played that showed the most improvement and “always plays hard” (which is definitely true---I’ve seen the kid chase after the ball with an almost scary look of determination on his face).


I’m really proud of him. He really listened, followed instructions and tried hard. And what’s more, he really enjoyed it. I think our first experience with organized sports was a success. Stay tuned to see what he does next!

Could it Be?

2 days in a row without any excrement-related accidents whatsoever. I know I may be jinxing it, but I think David may have gotten the hang of this whole potty-training thing. He's even been TELLING me when he has to use the bathroom--which is completely out of character.

Granted, he seldom wears pants nowadays (they seem to make him forgetful), but nonetheless, I'd say this was tremendous progress. And the thought of having NO DIAPERS TO CHANGE for an entire glorious 4 months before Jacob gets here is almost too much to bear. Seriously, I may be tearing up here.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAVID!

Writing About Myself…Just Me, Me, Me. So There.

Here are a few things I’ve been doing lately—

1) Obsessing about Ward Choir and Christmas music. I just love the ward choir and I’m insanely in love with all things Christmas, so this is a dangerous combination for me. Every time we sing in sacrament meeting, I get the biggest high---this could be because we have so many talented people at church, and so the choir sounds outrageously awesome.

2) Puzzling over the Coupon Dilemma. I have a friend who will literally walk into a Kroger and come out with a bagful of free groceries. How is it done? I’m trying to take a few tutorials and such, but it’s very bewildering. But dang-it all, I want my free bagful of groceries!

3) Desperately seeking a sewing instructor. I bought a new (very simple) sewing machine with the intent on using it to better my skills as a SAHM. So far, I’ve figured out how to thread it and that’s it. And don’t ask me what would happen if the thread broke—I just don’t know. At any rate, there are lots of projects out there that are currently too daunting for me due to their mention of top or back or sideways stitching or what have you. I’d like to overcome that. However, sewing instructors don’t just grow on trees, and I’m finding it rather difficult to find someone who will actually teach me instead of just doing it for me. I’m willing to fork out the dough, mind you.

4) Reading books. I finally found a few that were worth it, and I actually zoomed through two of them (Shanghai Girls and The Nanny Diaries) in two days. The other two (Fahrenheit 451 and Brick Lane) are a little weightier, so I’m trying to take some more time with them.

5) Killing fruit flies. For the past week, those little demons have been dive-bombing my face day and night. My hatred of them is past reason. Fortunately, I found their source yesterday--a potato had apparently fallen out of the bag in the back cupboard and started up a little colony there. I got rid of it (and doused the entire area with bleach).

6) Being lonely. I don’t know what it is, but lately I’ve been feeling a little “nobody-likes-me-everybody-hates-me-I’m-gonna-go-eat-worms.” I always mean to call up a friend or set up a play-date, but something always holds me back. It'll pass, it always does. But in the meantime, I’ve been treasuring any and all adult conversation as manna from heaven. It’s a good thing my boys keep me cracking up all the live-long day. They keep me from wallowing, the little stinkers.

Halloween

Good Grief. THE CANDY!!!!

There are currently three gallon-sized zip-locked bags sitting on our counter at this very minute holding the boys’ Halloween candy. And that’s not even counting all the crappy candy I just threw away because I knew none of us would ever eat it.

So needless to say, the boys got a great haul this year.

Trunk-or-Treat was really fun this year. We combined with South Shore and Kemah wards, so it was HUGE! There were tons of cars for the kids to visit, and some of them were really creative! I manned our “JAWS” trunk while Steven took the boys around from car to car. One of the guys from our ward even brought his juggling equipment, and was JUGGLING FIRE right in front of our car! It was amazing. Here’s a picture of the cuties—(and I was almost tempted to cut myself RIGHT OUT of this picture, because I look like death warmed over--that belt doesn't look so great under preggie-belly).


We took the boys trick-or-treating around the neighborhood on Halloween as well, and it was so much fun.


We just went door to door, circling a few blocks. We had to explain to the boys that we only went to houses where the front porch light was on. Lots of people in our neighborhood were waiting on their front porch, sitting in lawn chairs and handing out candy. It was just really nice, for some reason—it felt old-school. It was dark outside---you talked with the neighbors who you hardly ever see otherwise. It was great.

Afterwards, we headed back to the house to examine the haul. It was quite appalling, but the boys were pleased.



We let them stay up WAY too late as we all watched dumb Disney Halloween movies together. What a great night.

Unrelated Blurbs

Steven blew a fuse last night while working in the garage--which busted the breaker--which was the result of a short in the garage. In the same day, the kitchen faucet decided it didn't want to turn off--ever--and so we had to turn off the water under the sink. Also, water is somehow leaking into the garage. This house if falling apart. Only 29 days till we move.

Stevie has taken to wearing his winter gloves all of the time now. And hat. I'm not sure if he just thinks it looks cool or if he's actually freezing all the time. He even sleeps in them.

I went through a lot of trouble tonight to make some delicious baked potato soup (a.k.a. ratatouille soup to my kids), and for some reason it just didn't turn out right. I hate that.

I've officially been called as the ward choir director, and I'm excited for Christmas. I only wish I could sing in the choir and be the director at the same time. Sometimes I wish that someone would just orchestrate and choreograph my life, so that every place I went would break out into some sort of musical event. I'm really crossing my fingers that there'll be something like that going on in the next life.

Today makes TWO days in a row that
1) I felt pretty good
2) I got several MUCH NEEDED household chores done
3) I've cooked a real dinner
I hope this lasts!

David is 1) definitely asserting his independence lately and 2) adamantly opposed to potty-training. Part of me wants to spank him and the other half wants to crack up at his crazy, self-asserting antics.

Little Jacob is officially on the move--or at least I can feel him now. Late at night and early in the morning, he starts getting the wiggles. Feeling the baby move is my very favorite part of being pregnant.

I miss my husband. This is weird because I see him every night, but it seems like we've been drifting off and doing our own things these past few nights. I think its time to turn the dang computers off and do some romancin'. So on that note...

Tired of the Snuffles

I have officially been coughing, sniffing, sneezing uncontrollably and losing my voice for about 4 weeks now and I'm getting really sick of it. (Ha-ha, ignore the pun--I am my father's daughter). It's been bad enough to make me really uncomfortable, but not bad enough to get me out of doing anything--which I think is monumentally unfair. I should at least be getting some sympathetic slack-off time.

To clarify, however, my sweet husband Steven has been very nice about it all. His nightly dinners have been reduced to once or twice a week dinners, and he's been letting me take lots of naps. I'm sure if I asked, he'd graciously treat me like an invalid and be happy eating sandwiches for dinner with the boys all week. But my stupid conscience gets in the way.

The worst part is that I keep hearing rumors and scary stories about women who have mysterious headaches, nasty colds, etc, that last the duration of their pregnancies. Once they deliver, they feel fine. Oh please, no.

Seriously, Allergies--or Bug-From Hades, or whatever you are--you can leave now. Christmas is coming and I want to sing me some carols! And right now everything I sing sounds like croaking from the evil old witches in all the Disney movies--which in retrospect is very Halloween appropriate, so that's a silver lining, right?

Children's Museum of Houston

My friend Sarah treated us to a day at the Houston's Children Museum, which is now officially my favorite kid's place in all of the Bay Area. I could not believe what an incredible place it was! And the kids, needless to say, loved it.

Regardless of how it may appear, Stevie is actually grimacing in joy and not extreme pain in this picture.

David and Rachel, who is gracing the camera with her signature fly-a-way hair and enormous baby blues.

Mikey was everywhere at once! There was just so much to look at! It sure kept Sarah hoppin'.

Here is Stevie hoisting himself up using a pulley system--which was a truly admirable feat because this kid weighs a ton.

Stevie, of course, had to give a big cheesey smile in front of the string bass (which was actually a display on the mechanics of stringed instruments--but Stevie was impressed solely for the rock-n-roll status).

Officers Stevie and Rachel zooming away in the police car...

One of the absolute COOLEST parts of the kid's museum was "Kidtropolis," which was virtually a play city, where the kids could try out all kids of adult activities, such as pet shop, voting at city hall, the diner, the grocery store, etc...

Here's the kids rushing around the kitchen of the diner, cooking up my lunch order--which was something like grapes and fried chicken.

David brings me my food---straight out of the frying pan.

Here's Stevie playing the role of "Grocer" in the Kidtropolis Grocery Store. He did an excellent job helping me find items.

He also spent some time at the check out (seen here). They had a neat little touch computer screen where they could "check out" the customers.

Next stop was the Art Institute, where the kids donned their artist garb and painted a few masterpieces. (See how David's double-brushin' it?)

The kids also really enjoyed the pet shop, where they were able to take care of animals, listen to their hearts, weigh them, look at x-rays, blow dry and wash their hair, etc. Stevie really took this part seriously (as you can tell from his face).

I think David had convinced himself that he actually heard a heartbeat, hence his look of suprised importance.

To sum up, it was absolutely wonderful. What a fabulous way to spend a rainy Friday. I look forward to going back again!