Enjoying Stolen Moments

Stevie has been home sick with a fever for the past two days. It's the strangest thing---sometimes he's sick as a dog and sometimes he acts as healthy as a horse. But all animal similies aside, we've been stuck at home. David's enjoyed having his big brother all to himself, but I'll admit to being a tad cabin crazy.

Today while Stevie was napping and David was eating lunch, I snuck in the backyard to enjoy the beautiful sunshine with this guy:


He was having a lovely time watching me do yard work, feeling the breeze and tasting the grass (apparently he's not a fan).


So easy to count my blessings on a day like this.

A Habit I Wish I Didn't Have

This one is easy. I wish I wasn't a picky eater. I wish I was a healthy eater.

I wish I craved only fresh and natural things to eat.

This is the one habit I have that I absolutely despise, and I'm constantly trying to overcome (albeit unsuccessfully, thus far).

Darn you, carbohydrates, I love you so.

A Concise List of My Daily Activities

Took my new bike with bike trailer out for a spin---felt like a kid again!

Did stroller lunges in the park with Dianna---almost died.

Got fancy new Evo phone---can’t figure out how it works.

Tried out new recipe for spicy Thai chicken with peanut sauce—-in deep, deep love.

Got my second official voice student---gulp!

A Photo of My Family

I post pictures of my own little family all the time, so I thought I'd post my very favorite of the Howsleys (my family). This picture was taken in July 2004, which was a particularly happy time because not only was my brother Adam getting married, but I was a kajillion months pregnant with our first baby (Stevie). I remember feeling such an intense, joyful connection with my family that night.

My littlest brother Joey is out front. The guy with the glasses and goatee on the far left is my oldest brother Jeff. Adam (the groom) is on the far right. Aren't they good-looking?

And then there's Mom and Dad. Wow, my parents were happy that night. (Well, they weren't so happy after the reception, because my sister-in-law's family was being a bit difficult). But at the reception---their eyes just glowed with contentment. And just look at how much they love each other. I love the way my mother is snuggled up coquettishly around my dad's neck. And my dad--he just looks so proud and happy to be in the middle of us all. I know he misses that.

My family is a lot of things, but I can tell you this---we love each other. We always have. Even when it's hard to do. And I think it shows here.

Oh, and I like this one too:

Next Three on the Bucket List

Hmmm. I haven't actually consulted my Bucket List in years. But I can think of a few things I definitely want to do.

1. Run a 5K. I plan on trying to do my first one in April. But it's something I really want to do. I know, I know---you have a mental picture of me in your head---and now you're picturing me lumbering down the street plodding along like some sort of large animal from the african plains (that's actually a pretty accurate picture at present). But hopefully it won't be for long. And I'd like that 5K to eventually turn into a 10K. And who knows? Maybe I'll even advance to something more impressive in the future. But for now---let's just stick to the basics, shall we?

2. Have another baby. I know, I have a baby at home right now. But let's face it, my child-bearing years are coming swiftly to a close. I want another baby because 4 feels complete to me somehow, probably because I had 3 siblings and so it that's what seems like family to me. I'm hoping that the Lord will be on board with my desire to have another baby (and soon). If not, well...I've already been seriously blessed with the 3 gorgeous little stinkers that I already have. But nevertheless, we'll definitely try for number 4. Boy or girl, I'd just be happy to add one last member to the Grundberg brood.

3. Travel somewhere. This probably isn't a very practical one at this stage in my life (3 little kids...hoping to add one more). But nonetheless, I dream and dream of going on an interesting vacation with just Steven. I always think back on my honeymoon with such intense delight. I would love to go exploring the universe once again with just my best friend.

There. Hopefully these 3 things will be accomplished in the next 5 years or so. I guess I'll report back then.

Dream House?

Day 14 of my 50 blogs in 50 days is "Dream House." I have absolutely no desire to write about my dream house. Mostly because I'm currently in the nicest house I've ever lived in. I'm pretty happy with it.

I guess I wouldn't mind if it had an upstairs playroom, or a viable upstairs linen closet, or a bigger backyard, or a pool. But heck, I also wouldn't mind 2 more bedrooms, an in-house movie theater and bowling alley.

You know what WOULD be great? To have a little land---like the ranch my grandfather used to own. He had several thousand acres in west Texas where he grazed cattle. It had a little tiny house on it we called "the farm." It might be nice to have enough land to really have a huge vegetable garden, and maybe some fruit trees. Someplace where you could open up your own backyard to the wilderness.

But all in all, what I have right now is just what I want. I love my litte red brick home. It's just right for me and mine at this particular moment in time.

But maybe in 20 years or so...or after we retire...maybe then some land will be in our future.

Unrelated Recent Events That Require Documentation For Posterity

We THOUGHT that Stevie's last basketball game was on Saturday, and so of course we took a lot of pictures...






But it turns out we have one more practice and game and even a pizza party to look forward to. Thank goodness, because we got creamed. Now the Rockets (their team name) have a chance at redemption.

In addition, I took this cute picture of Jacob (What? I warned you these were unrelated)

We also had some visitors from DFW! My sweet friend Bonnie Finley (formerly Bonnie Carey) came up for a visit. I've known Bonnie for almost 20 years (insanity!!)---we grew up together in Arlington. She brought her beautiful family down and we talked and talked and TALKED until our faces turned blue. It was so nice to catch up and reconnect with such a good friend.



Today at David's Preschool Co-op they studied the letter "P." David got to wear his pajamas to school, where they made pigs and pockets and ate pancakes. David was so excited that he wore his pajamas for the rest of the day.

What I Did Today...

Steven had the day off today, so he mercifully got Stevie off to school and let me sleep in. Of course sleeping in for me nowadays is 8am. It may not sound that exciting, but it was such a wonderfully delicious indulgence.

After breakfast, I rustled the kids up to the gym to complete my next two miles on the treadmill. I'm doing the Couch Potato to 5K program. I tweak it a little bit so I'm at least putting in 30 minutes each time. The first day I did it I felt like I would surely die, but today I felt like I was flying. I'm trying to make myself go slow, though, even when I do feel good. I don't want to hurt myself. I even bought myself some fantastically fabulous and consequently expensive running shoes this week so that I can run with the proper support (because heaven knows I need it).

Today was early release at Stevie's school, so we planned a trip with several families from church to go to the Alvin Bayou Wildlife Park. It was such a wonderful day to go, because it was a bit cold and we were the ONLY group there. No lines, no waiting. It was wonderful. I'm always surprised by the incredibly tender feeling I get for these animals---I just want to hug them and squeeze them and name them George. Stevie and David had a great time too(little Jake stayed home with Daddy).







By the time I got home I was exhausted. I seriously considered cancelling Steven and my valentine's day date at the stake adult dance. But believe it or not, Steven insisted we go. "How often do we have a fun Valentine's Day activity with our friends that costs absolutely no money?" He had a point. So Amber loaned me a red dress and I gussied myself up for a evening of dancing the night away.

We ended up having such a good time. So many of our friends were there, which always makes things twice as fun. We danced every single dance, as crazily as possible. I felt gorgeous--Steven looked smokin'. Quite frankly I thought several times about ditching the dance and finding a more...ahem...private location. But we stayed, and I'm so glad we did. I LOVE TO DANCE! (which is rather unfortunate for all the unlucky onlookers...)


We drove back to the house around 10:30 to the relief of our sweet baby sitter who had just encountered one of David's famous night terrors. After taking her home, Steven and I were still so wired that we stayed up almost all night. It was almost like those crazy college days...

All in all, a truly great day.

Some Favorite Books

This list changes all the time. But I do currently have several at the top, and here they are in no particular order:

How Green Was My Valley- Richard Llewellyn
I love this book for so many reasons---one of which is because it's completely peppered with little indeniable truths. Another reason is because I love reading the Welsh dialect. I also love how carefully the mother and father try and teach their brood of boys good, true principles. And I love seeing the world through the eyes of a young, still-discovering boy as he struggles to understand morality, beauty and sadness.

East of Eden- John Steinbeck
I love to read John Steinbeck's writing, even when I don't love the story. He's so brutally honest, perceptive and unapologetic. But this Cain and Abel baesd novel struck me and filled me with hope--Timschel! (Thou Mayest!)

Love in the Time of Cholera- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
No one character is particularly admirable in this book, but all are completely human. The unrequited love the main character feels throughout his life made my own heart ache for him.

The Remains of the Day- Kazuo Ishiguro
A book about the subtleties of butlery and decorum and reserve, and how the butler realizes in the end that his whole life has been dedicated to the service of a foolish man. It's definitely a book about self-delusion. The main character only reveals the information he wants us to know about him---just like we all do in real life.

My Antonia- Willa Cather
The writing in this book is breathtaking and I don't even know why. Maybe it's the simplicity. Whatever it is, all of Willa Cather's books (and I've read them all) are gorgeous.

Bridget Jone's Diary- Helen Fielding
I just laughed my butt of from page one to the end.

A Favorite Quote...

"This is the true joy in life: Being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." ~George Bernard Shaw