Pity Party (Woe Is Me)

Slowly but surely, all the memories we lost in the fire are creeping up on me. The other day I was watching that TLC show “Say Yes to the Dress.” You know, the one that’s all about the wedding dress shop? I just started to feel so sad that my beautiful, beautiful dress--my dream dress--is gone for good. Especially after I lugged it from Dallas to Libertyville to Round Lake Beach to Libertyville to Arlington to League City.

Every picture that I had of myself before 2004---high school, TCU, BYU—all my band pictures—and the pictures from my childhood. Sometimes I just can’t believe that they're all gone. Why, oh WHY did I have to assign myself as “family historian” and take all the Howsley pictures with me to League City when we moved? Not one childhood picture. My kids are going to think I just sprouted out of the ground at age 27. No pictures of me back when I was actually pretty.

And all the videos kill me too. I woke up in the middle of the night last night and couldn’t sleep thinking about it. All those videos of Stevie as a baby—I can’t even remember how he moved or how he talked. And David when he was just a baby too. All gone.

Thank GOODNESS I brought my hard drive with me. At least I have plenty of adorable pictures of them from when they were babies.

I got started on this funk because I’ve been working on the kids’ baby books lately (I know, I’m a little late, right?) I realize that I have virtually no little mementos from either of the kids’ births. Irreplaceable things like bracelets and locks of hair. Birth announcements. Tiny footprints.

They’re just things. We’re making new memories—it doesn’t really matter. I just hate feeling like the documentation for a part of my life has been erased.

TUESDAY (of last week)

My brother Jeff and his family came visiting from Arlington last week. It was really good to see them, because now that we live in League City, we barely ever get to see them at all. They have two AWESOME sons, Andrew (11) and Zack (7). My sons, Stevie (4) and David (2) think Andrew and Zack are just about the coolest dudes in the known world (well...that's barring Daddy, of course).

Dad invited us down on Tuesday night to sample some of Jeff's newfound grill-master skills (free steak--yum!). Afterwards, I ended up taking my nephews home with me to spend the night with us.

Needless to say, it was VERY loud in my house.

After some hardcore Guitar Hero action, the boys got crazy with the costumes. Here's Andrew and Zack in their respective "Cop" and "General Bad Guy" outfits.

(And I know that gun Zack is holding looks a little life-like--but that's only because the orange tip fell off and got lost....what can I say, it was a cheap county-fair prize)

Followed up of course by some hearty trampoline jumpage:

I always let the nephews stay up practically all night and watch tv and play video games. I make MY kids go to bed, but I always want to spoil my nephews rotten (what can I say? I'm gonna be that kind of grandma, too). They conked out on the air-mattresses around 1am.

It didn't seem to affect anyone, because they were all up at the break of day, rowdy as usual. We decided to go take in the dollar movie, "Monsters vs. Aliens," which was pretty dang funny. Here's a picture of them in the parking lot.
(I can't believe this is the BEST picture I got of all four of them--but I guess it pretty much captures the general mood).

I just love these kids. I really miss them. I remember holding Andrew when he was just a few days old. I remember visiting Zachary in the NICU when he was a premie. And now Andrew's one year away from getting the Aaronic Preisthood and Zack's about to be baptized. I hate that they live so far away. Once again, it makes me thankful for eternal families, and we'll all be celestial next-door neighbors someday.

Go Astros!

I realize I haven't written anything for an entire week! But let me tell you, apart from the fact that I've been completely exhausted, it's been pretty crazy around here. So I guess I'm just going to end up catching up LAST week THIS week. Does that make sense?

MONDAY we went to our first Astros game. The boys loved it. David kept re-explaining to me what everyone was doing on the field (complete with demonstrations), and it was quite hilarious. We had relatively good seats and the Astros actually won the game (which is encouraging, because I've long-since convinced myself that my presence at any baseball game is bad luck for whatever team I'm rooting for). Anyway, we were too packed in to talk to any of our friends and we ended up spending way too much money, but it was worth it.

"Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks..." (We actually did buy both).
My patented manic grin (I think David's practicing his as well)
That's right. Steven bought the boys those obnoxious foam fingers. Check out the super-serious looks on their faces. Hard core.
We took like forty pictures of them on this baseball and this is the best one I got.

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!

Can you believe it? Just look at the test! (This is the 3rd one I took. Is it weird that I’m posting a picture of something I peed on?)



After 13 long months, we’re finally pregnant! I found out on Thursday. When I took that first test (just a cheap, Walmart-brand one), I was just sure it was going to be negative. I even said out loud, “See, you’re not.” And then, ever so slightly, the plus sign started to show through…and get darker and darker. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I shouted out “Yes!” and smacked my hand hard on the door and then burst into tears (tears of joy---and maybe just one or two of pain).

I’m just so grateful. I was just sure it would never happen. Once again, the Lord is probably shaking his head and chuckling, saying, “Just WAIT already!” All I can say is, Thank You, Lord, thank You! Thank you a million times over. My heart is full of joy.

And do you want to hear the dangedest part? I was pondering the other day on how this has truly been a lesson in patience. And then immediately afterwards I thought, “Man, now we have to wait NINE whole months! Geez!”

I'll never learn. :)

Everything (currently) That I Can Think Of About...

1. New obsession with Lego StarWars, even though we bought him Guitar Hero for Father's Day.
2. Is a fox.
3. Likes to wade in a baby play pool while grilling steaks.
4. Loves to mix his food all together
5. Wishes I liked Thai food.
6. Keeps putting off going in to get his sleep study done (to see if he has sleep apnea, which he doesn’t by the way. I sleep with him, I should know).
7. Seems to take care of all our business stuff lately. I’m just along for the ride.
8. Eats jelly on his grilled cheese sandwiches.
9. Can play “Maple Leaf Rag” and Mozart’s “Variations on Ah! Vous dirais je maman” on the piano by memory. Now that we have a piano again he’s been playing like mad.
10. Is gone just about every Saturday morning moving someone in or out of the ward. Thank goodness we have a ton of great guys in the ward willing to help!
11. Takes FOREVER to write an email. I’m talking hours. It’s strange.
12. Likes to use his music recording software to make original compositions—mostly of which are extremely funky and all of which done with him performing every instrument.
13. Is very handy, and has fixed all the door jambs so they’ll open again.



1. LOVES LOVES LOVES Guitar Hero (especially the drums).
2. Has recently perfected his rendition of “Eye of the Tiger,” complete with vocals, dance moves, sunglasses, and a backwards hat. Other pieces in his repertoire include “LIvin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi and “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne. He just kills me.
3. Will sometimes shout “I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL” at the top of his lungs.
4. Is very emotional, and has frequent meltdowns when things don’t go as planned. Just like me.
5. Has recently started swimming UNDERWATER on his own. He also does underwater somersaults and always wears his blue face mask while in the water.
6. Loves to swing on the swing set.
7. Calls himself “Fire Guy” when playing superheroes.
8. Loves the ocean—I recently bought him a kick board and he uses it as a mini-boogie board. He’s WAY too brave and it makes me nervous!
9. Can count to 120 (with just a teeny bit of help).
10. Likes to pretend he’s a baby sometimes. He’ll toddle and put his arms out and talk baby talk.
11. Can read. He can sound out just about any word, and can even read sentences when he puts his mind to it.
12. Is completely out-numbered by girls at church. It seems that most of his little friends are girls.
13. Is bored at home. He always wants to play video games or computer games. I’m pretty sure it’s because he’s not being stimulated enough at home, and is ready for some challenges. We just bought him a new computer game that’s specifically for Kindergarten learning, so hopefully that might help.
14. Just learned how to buckle his own seatbelt a few weeks ago.
15. Loves salad, and recently discovered he loves cucumbers too.



1. Always has to carry 2 or 3 toys with him whenever we leave the house.
2. Is a scrapper. He’s always tackling or play fighting.
3. Loves to jump off of things.
4. Just wants to be around you. You can be doing whatever, and David just wants to be in the room with you.
5. Loves to read books. He’s always asking me to read his Tonka Trucks book.
6. Takes FOREVER to eat his dinner. I usually end up having to grab the fork and shovel it into his mouth.
7. Loves bread but isn’t crazy about meat.
8. Wants to be able to do everything Stevie does, and is often frustrated when he can’t.
9. Is an occasional napper. Sometimes he’ll fall asleep in the car and sleep for hours. But most days he doesn’t nap.
10. Is currently in the other room pretending to build a rocket ship.
11. Loves milk but will settle for juice.
12. Isn’t terribly interested in using the big boy potty.
13. Loves to tell incomprehensible knock-knock jokes.
14. Has started being a lot braver in the water. He can’t swim yet, but he’s experimenting with jump off of things and putting his face in the water. He likes to wade out right up to his neck.
15. Loves the ocean. He likes to wade out WAY FURTHER than Mommy would like him to go.
16. Would MUCH RATHER watch old “Batman” or “Spiderman” cartoons than anything on Nick Jr. He’s very into superheroes.



1. Is doing great on Weightwatchers and has already lost 13.8 lbs.
2. Has been obsessed with the computer lately—namely Biotronic and Typing Maniac. (escape?)
3. Works out most days on the elliptical cross-trainer for 45 min. at the YMCA.
4. Cleans her dad’s house every Thursday and makes dinner for him.
5. Watches her adorable nephew Jackson on Mondays and Tuesdays.
6. Loves swimming, and hates that the YMCA is our only pool.
7. Has taken over the ward choir.
8. Hates grocery shopping but seems to be at the grocery store every single day.
9. Is considering re-auditioning for the Bay Area Chorus in August.
10. Has had a very, very happy week. (more later).
11. Is much more boring than her adorable and awesome family.

Swimming Lessons

I finally signed Stevie up for swimming lesson at the YMCA, and he has absolutely loves them. He's such a water bug! I've been SO PROUD of him, because he's OBVIOUSLY the most talented one in his class (of course--he's probably the oldest one too, but that's beside the point).

Here's some photos of him doing being a "starfish." I thought it was a clever way to teach them how to float on their backs.



Stevie was the only boy in the class, and definitely the most rambuncious and impatient. While waiting for his turn, he would often kick his legs crazily in the water, upsetting girls when they got splashed. The little stinker.


I like this picture because it looks like he's hitting on that cute little girl. (It's definitely more likely that they were arguing about which one was the more awesome swimmer. Stevie's yet to learn about charming modesty).



But all in all, I think this has been a really positive experience for him. He's extremely excited about swimming right now, and I think these lessons have helped him feel even more comfortable in the water. He can even swim a few feet underwater now (but only if he has his goggles on. He insists on being able to see, and can't wrap his head around the idea of closing your eyes under water).

David was a bit upset about being allowed to go to swim lessons with Stevie. But he cheered up (after a good long pout) when I assured him we'd sign him up for some lessons when he was big enough.

The Slide

We went to a little birthday party today and had an absolute blast. It was at the house of a friend from church, and they had rented out this GINORMOUS blow-up water slide for the backyard.

Stevie was beside himself when he saw it. He was ready to slide down without changing into his bathing suit (don't worry, I convinced him).



David looked at it rather longingly while slurping his snowcone, but wasn't quite up to the challenge on his own.


Steven finally took pity on him and decided to change into his swimsuit and go down with him. Below is the following result:




I know David looks petrified (which he was), but it didn't stop him from wanting to go down again, and again, and again. He was truly outraged when it was time to leave.

I was so inspired by my family's hi-octane examples that I changed into my suit and went down myself. It hadn't seemed so high up from the ground. But it was very much fun...but very much water up my nose.

Independence Day Goings-On

We started off the day at the Ward Indenpendence day Breakfast, where we crammed our faces with free foodstuffs, and Steven did a rollicking rendition of "The Battle of New Orleans"...on ukelele. Everyone loved it because he's such a hilarious idiot.

We actually skipped the parade this year. I really felt quite guilty. But when the time came around for us to go and stake out a place in the 100 degree weather, I just couldn't bear it. Maybe next year.

We did, however, make it over to the League City Citizen's Appreciation Day. It was a great little festival, and moreover--everything was FREE!

We started it off with a hearty round of bounce-housing--


And followed it up by a visit to the petting zoo (WHERE, by the way, they had an adorable pot-bellied pig that I actually wanted to cuddle more than eat--if that's indication of how cute the darn thing was. And this is coming from a pork chop lover, folks).

Afterwards, we loaded the boys up for a pony ride. Stevie was a natural...

David was a bit more cautious, but he did give the pony a heartwarming "goodbye" when the ride was over.

After the free hotdogs and snowcones, it was off to the gazebo for animal balloons and face-painting. Or arm-painting in the boys' cases. Here they are, sporting a wicked mad tiger and a skull-and-crossbones (they were feeling PRETTY cool, I tell ya).


Dad and Joey came over later for a little 4th of July BBQ. It was a delicious dinner and utterly not guilt-free dinner. After dinner Dad, Joey, me and Stevie had a little MonkeyBall tournament on the Wii (in which Stevie absolutely SMOKED all of us. Still fun though).

Joey and Dad headed back to Galveston after dinner, so we decided to head out to the Nassau Bay Fireworks with the Renshaws. We were VERY pleasantly suprised. The crowd was minimal, the breeze was refreshing out their on the Bay, and there was plenty of room for a blanket and chairs on the boardwalk. Here's me, evidentally making a saucy remark...

We were right by the water, and actually spied a few fish jumping out of the water in patriotic zeal.

The Renshaws were nice enough to give the boys a few glowsticks to play with, and they got pretty creative...


Here's Steven going for a special effect...

The fireworks were great. The boys were really cute about, and Stevie even said "Thank you so much for taking us!" There was a lot of ooing and ahing too. Very adorable. For some reason, I tried to take a picture of the fireworks, until Steven looked at me and said, "Hey, why don't you watch them instead?" I guess in my posterity-recording frenzy I got a little over eager.


All in all, a lovely day. Sweaty, though.

Possibilities...

Okay, so HERE’S the dealy-o.

The house we’re currently leasing (and living in) is falling apart. The master shower has a foul odor every time you take a shower, and we’ve realized it’s because the dang thing is LEAKING into the garage and the sheet rock is probably molded and nasty. The foundation has MAJORLY shifted in the past 6 months, and there are huge cracks everywhere. The tile is even starting to warp. And to top it all off, we now have FOUR doors in the house that are so crooked, we can barely open or shut them (one being the BATHROOM door and one being the FRONT door). Not so great.

Aren’t you so glad we didn’t talk the owner into selling to us 2 months ago? Wow.

So here’s what we’re thinking: when we signed this 12-month lease last November (due to the fact that no short-term leases were currently available ANYWHERE, thank you very much, Ike), we never agreed to live in a barely functional, stinking house where the front door barely locks. I mean, that’s a safety hazard, right? Not to mention having a bathroom door that shuts can lead to some potentially embarrassing situations. Our manager has told us that they’ll have to do LOTS of work on the foundation, which means we’d practically be living in a construction zone for who knows how long.

So we thought we’d have a chat with our manager and the landlord (who is flying in from Australia next week—seriously, who rents out a lower-middle-class house from half-way around the world, anyway). Maybe, considering the circumstances, they’d be willing to let us break our lease a little early WITHOUT paying a penalty. Just maybe. And that of course means….

WE CAN BUY A HOUSE! OF OUR OWN! WHERE I CAN PAINT THE WALLS SNOT GREEN IF I WANT TO!! (I won’t, but it’s the principal of the thing). We actually jumped the gun a bit and looked at a few houses today. Nothing serious…it was really just for fun.

So cross your fingers for us. I sure would love to buy a house now instead of waiting until September.

It's Here!!

Ain't it purdy?

It's been a long six months, but we’ve finally replaced our piano! I love it. It's a Williams Symphony Elite Digital Piano. And while I can't understand why it took the company an entire month and a half to deliver it to our house, I'm thrilled its finally here. And it fits (almost) perfectly into that little space behind our couch.


I’ve already pulled out all our old piano books and have been plunking away. (It’s lucky for my family that it came with headphones—they won’t have to listen to all my wrong notes).

The kids are naturally much more interested in the box it came in.