Fun In Wisconsin

Here are a few photos from my trip to Wisconsin. I had a lot of fun with Bridger and Carter and learned a lot about kids. I learned that there are a few things you just learn to get used to when children are involved. For example....

With 2 kids under age 3, it doesn't take very long for a house to go from looking like this....

to looking like this!

Although I'm not a huge fan of kids watching a lot of tv, after all the ideas you have to keep them entertained were met with failure, and it's only 10:00 am, sometimes a 20 minute dvd can be your best friend! Look how captivated they are! Sometimes I used Charlie Brown to buy a few minutes to actually get myself dressed and cleaned up for the day. I no longer wonder why some moms look like they didn't look at themselves in the mirror before they walked out of the house. Who has time for indulgences like showers and makeup?

Despite all your efforts to please, kids can always find a way to be unsatisfied. After watching "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving Dinner" Bridger wanted to make pumpkin pie like Snoopy. Thinking that he actually wanted to eat it too, I found all the ingredients and we went to work. Bridger had fun smashing the dough and stirring ingredients together.

However, although Bridger had seen all the orangy pumpkin stuff we put in the pie, when it was finally done and it was time to eat it, he took one look at the pie, stuck his finger in it, stared at his finger with a disgusted look on his face and said, "I don't like this orange stuff. Its yucky!" and then refused to eat it.

Carter, on the other hand, wolfed down the pie like it was going out of style! He probably ate more of the pie over the course of 3 days than I did!

On another note, one night right before heading to the neighbor's house for dinner, I quickly ran downstairs to check on some laundry. Bridger and Carter were playing in the big room downstairs when Bridger said "Hey! Its wet!" At about that same moment, I looked down at the carpet and saw a shallow but large puddle of water that covered about half of the basement. Being a little panicked, I looked around to see where it was coming from while I frantically called Mona and said "Your basement is flooding!!" I found out that the water heater was leaking and was soon getting directions from Ben on how to remedy the situation. I brought the kids over to the neighbors where they could be watched while I took care of the mess. (Thanks Jamie!)

Luckily, some of Ben & Mona's friends were able to come over that night to help clean up the water and get some fans going to dry out the carpet. A plumber came the next day to replace the broken water heater.

Here are some photos of Halloween. We had a great time! Carter was dressed as Elmo, and Bridger was a fireman. I took them to the mall to go trick-or-treating, and a bunch of Japanese people saw Carter and started pointing and laughing and taking pictures of him. He just stared at them wondering why they were talking funny and what all the commotion was for. Bridger got scared of the people dressed in funny clothes, so we didn't stay for long. When Ben and Mona got home that night, we went trick or treating again down the street they live on with the neighbors and their kids. I couldn't have picked a better way to spend Halloween. I didn't really want to come home, and I guess I could have stayed, since my wallet got stolen while I was there and I didn't have any ID. But after a series of questions and some extra screening by airport security, they finally let me board my plane and I had to fly home and get back to life as a student. I miss my nephews and all the fun we had and can't wait to see them again!

Precious Moments….Mostly!

While my sister and brother-in-law, Mona and Ben have been away doing second interviews for Ben’s job, they have entrusted me again with the care of their two precious little kiddoes, Bridger and Carter. I must be getting used to this nannying business, because last time I was here at the end of August, I was completely exhausted by noon and would crash on the couch as soon as I had put the boys down for their naps while praying they would stay asleep for a long time. This time around, when its naptime, I still have energy to clean the house, check email, and even get in a little bit of LSAT studying time. Also, last time I was here, my back would be aching so bad at the end of the day, I would have trouble sleeping even though I was so tired, and I had to rely on Ibuprofen to get me through to the next morning. This time, I prepared myself by doing some back exercises starting a couple of weeks before I came, and I also learned some great stretches to do that help relieve the tension in my back. It also helps that Carter is walking now, so he doesn’t have to be carried everywhere, although he still wants to be held and carried every once in awhile.

Being around these two little angels has definitely had a variety of moments ranging from those filled with laughter to those filled with frustration, from thinking this is the greatest job in the world to wondering how the heck parents do this every day. Here are a few examples:

-After banging Carter on the head with bath toys, and then having Carter return the favor, then both of them bursting into giggles and hugging, Bridger proudly smiled up at me and exclaimed “We be’d not kind to eachother, Aunt Val! We be’d MEAN! And now we’re kind again!!”

-Carter’s favorite thing to do is to blow “berzerts” on any amount of bare skin he can find. This surprised me the first time it happened because after watching him running around giggling and playing with toys for a few minutes, he looked at me with his shy little smile, walked up to me quietly and opened up his arms as if he wanted a hug. I proudly picked him up and held him close, thinking it was a kind guesture of his affection. I snuggled him in my arms, he buried his head in my neck, and the next thing I knew he was blowing loudly on my bare neck! This caught me completely off guard, and set me off laughing, which in turn made Carter giggle hysterically and then he repeated it over and over again. Now, any time he sees any bare skin (i.e. the skin of my lower back that happened to be exposed while I was bending over picking up toys!) he tries to blow as loudly as he can on it and then bursts into giggles. He even tried to do it on my legs through my nylons as he sat on the floor beneath the bench at church.

-While naptime usually proceeds without much more than the normal weak protests, today was especially chaotic. About 20 minutes after putting Bridger down, I heard him bawling and sobbing and screaming. I opened the door, worried, and asked him what was wrong. He looked at me with huge tears running down his little cheeks and sobbed “I WANT MY DADDY!!” and then continued to be unconsolable. I sat down on his bed next to him and hugged him and tried to calm him down, telling him that Mommy and Daddy would be home on Halloween, that they loved him, that Daddy was busy talking to people at the hospitals. I asked Bridger if he loved his Daddy, and he said “Yes.” Then I asked “What does your Daddy do for you that you love?” and he answered “He paints the door.” Surprised at his answer, and trying not to laugh, I asked “What else does he do?” Bridger replied, “He…(sniffle)..mows (sniffle) da yawn.” Then, I heard Carter screaming from his room. I got up from Bridger’s bed, went to Carter’s room and opened the door to see one of his legs sticking through the slats of his crib, jerking violently. Somehow he had stuck his foot through the slats then turned his leg so he was unable to get it back out again, so he was stuck all the way up to his thigh. I gently maneuvered his foot out, and of course, as soon as it was free, Carter jumped up and held up his arms while sobbing. I picked him up and hugged him, tried to calm him down, picked up his bottle and carried them both to the kitchen so I could fill up his bottle again and put him back down. After doing that, I heard Bridger crying for his daddy again. I went back to his opened door, peeked in, and he looked up at me and sobbed, “Wet!” I looked at the puddle on the sheets beneath him and then remembered that I had forgotten to make him go potty before giving him his nap. With both children still sobbing and screaming I decided to abort the naptime mission. We got Bridger cleaned up, changed his sheets, and then decided to go to the store instead, which wasn't necessarily a less chaotic activity, but it cheered us all up anyway.

-Carter can’t talk yet, but he is learning a little bit of sign language. Over the last few days, Carter has learned how to say “dog,” “All done,” “baby” and “fish” in sign language. It is adorable to see him proudly smile each time he successfully makes a sign that I can recognize.

And most rewarding of all…

-After playing with some pots and pans on the kitchen floor, Bridger stood up, smiled at me and then said “I love you!” then began dancing around the kitchen while repeating it over and over in his sweet, musical, sing-song voice “I love you! I love you! I love you!” Suddenly, wet beds and aborted naptimes don’t seem so bad anymore, and I understand why parents do what they do day in and day out. :-)

Mommy for the Weekend

Last week, my sister, Mona, and her husband, Ben had to take a trip to Spokane, Washington for a job interview. While they were gone, I had the lovely opportunity to babysit my adorable nephews, Bridger, (2 1/2) and Carter (1 year) at their home in Madison, Wisconsin.

I arrived in Madison on Tuesday, August 25th and stayed there for a few days while Mona and Ben were still around. They left on Saturday and returned the next Tuesday. Though I was only

on my own with the kids for about 4 days, it was definitely long enough for me to gain a new appreciation for motherhood and what moms do every day.

I thoroughly enjoyed what Mona's neighbor, Jamie, described as "Moments of fun surrounded by chaos!" The little moments of giggles and laughter, singing, jumping, and playing were definitely worth getting through the just as numerous periods of crying, pooping, whining, daiper changing, and endless questions like "Can we go pick up Mommy and Daddy from the 'Olport' (airport) now?"

Bridger is at that adorable stage where he is fascinated with the world around him, and his favorite question is "Why?" which he repeats thousands of times a day. Though the endless

"Why?"s did get old after a while, it did force me to get a little creative with my answers:

Bridger: "What is that man doing with his dog?"

Aunt Val: "He's taking it for a walk."

Bridger: "Why?"

Aunt Val: "So his dog can get some exercise."

Bridger: "Why?"

Aunt Val: "So his dog doesn't get too fat."

Bridger: "Why?"

Aunt Val: "Because if his dog doesn't get exercise, it will get so fat it won't be able to leave the house."

Bridger: "Why?"

Aunt Val: "Um.... Because.... he will get SO big from eating his food and not exercising that he won't be able to fit through the door anymore."

Bridger: "Why?"

Aunt Val: "Because they don't make doors big enough for fat dogs that don't get exercise."

Bridger: "Why?"

Aunt Val: "Um...(sigh of annoyance and slight frustration)...Because.... Oh wow! Look at that!"

Bridger: "What? Where?"

Aunt Val: "I don't know, did you see something?"

Bridger: "Why is that dog pooping?"

Aunt Val: "Oh dear."

In all, I was actually quite impressed with how well the kids behaved while their parents were

away. Mona has spent a lot of time and energy helping them become accustomed to a regular schedule and it really paid off while she and Ben were away. Whenever it was time for naps, as long as I made sure to go through the regular routine before naptime, the kids went right to sleep without any more than the usual protests or requests to "read just one more book?"

We had a lot of fun making popsicles, finger painting, going to the park, kicking the soccer ball, playing with bubbles, eating, singing songs, watching Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang, and what Bridger enjoyed most of all was "playing airplane" where we would "fly" to Spokane, Washington and then fly back to Wisconsin.

It wasn't all fun and games, though. Bridger kept wanting to play with his dad's golf club and would swing it all over the place, making me worried that he would whack Carter in the head or break something. I finally decided to put his interest to good use, and told him to beat out the rug with the golf club, which he was more than happy to do. :-)

Needless to say, Bridger was very excited to go to the "Olport" to pick up Mommy and Daddy on Tuesday night. Carter, on the other hand, hardly recognized Mona and turned away his shy little face every time she would look at him. After a few minutes he finally warmed back up to her.

It really was a fun experience and I'm so thankful I was available to do this for my sister. The enjoyment I got out of my time spent with these two little boys was probably worth more to me than what my sister would have had to pay for a babysitter. Though my back was very sore by the end of the 4 days from lifting 25 pound blobs of squirming little people, picking up toys, and wrestling Carter into his car seat, I must admit, that I missed being with them as soon as I got on my plane to leave. I am a little envious of mothers who get to spend all their time with little angels like these. I am looking forward to the day (someday) when I can have a few little munchkins of my own to keep me busy, tired, and thoroughly happy.

Takin' it Easy.... sort of!

So, I haven't updated my blog recently, mostly because there are not too many exciting things going on. Well, I guess that could be an understatement. Mostly there are not a lot of things going on that I take pictures of. Since I got home from Washington DC, my days mostly consist of working out in the yard, doing homework, studying for the LSAT, and dancing.

I am trying to finish my last few classes at BYU so I can officially graduate. I am doing all my remaining classes through Independent Study, which is nice because I can go at my own pace and I don't have to go to campus unless I really want to. However, it is taking me longer than I expected to finish my classes. I have one completely finished, I'm about 1/3 of the way done with another, and then I will have 3 more. I am also taking an LSAT preparation class. Yes, I am thinking about going to Law School. Although when I really think about having 3 more years of school to go through, part of me wants to vomit, but another part of me thinks it would be a very rewarding challenge. We'll see how things go.

One of my other goals this summer was to learn how to dance better. I absolutely LOVE dancing! I started doing country swing dancing when I was about 16 years old. Between the ages of 19-21 I took some dance classes at UVSC and went dancing frequently on the weekends. Over the last couple of years I have dabbled in it a bit more, but now I want to get more serious. My favorite dance so far is West Coast Swing and I go at least once a week, if its a good week I can go three times on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. There are some really good dance clubs around here that teach great lessons and I feel like I am improving, though I am not nearly as good as I want to be. I also started going to the BYU Swing Kids Club, which is also really fun, but they do more Lindy-Hop, which is actually becoming a very close second in my preference to West Coast Swing. I will be attending a dance competition/workshop weekend in Denver this month which I hope will help me improve my skills, and it will be fun to watch the pros dance in person.

Thats about it for now. Sorry I don't have photos. I'll work on that for next time!

Graduation!!

Although I am technically not graduated yet (I still have 4 more classes to finish) I was able to participate in Commencement ceremonies on April 23rd with my brother, Ammon who graduated in Mechanical Engineering.

Graduation was a fun experience. A lot of my family members were able to be there and we were able to get a photo of all the 5 BYU graduates in our family.

Dressing up in the cap and gown, walking through the Marriott center and across the stage at convocation, and listening to the wonderful speakers who gave great counsel, all helped me realize what a blessing it has been to be a student at Brigham Young University. Reflecting back on the last 3 years, I have definitely learned a lot, and not just academically speaking. I have been able to develop some wonderful friendships, I have learned more about myself, my talents, my likes and dislikes, and I have learned to appreciate each moment of this phase of my life with all of its ups and downs. I have absolutely loved studying Humanities which has allowed me to be exposed to some of the greatest minds this world has seen. I have learned to look for and appreciate the beauty that is apparent everywhere and I have been able to develop and strengthen my own opinions about various topics.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and one whom we revere as someone who recieves revelation from God, was the speaker at our Commencement exercises. He encouraged us to do the following as we continue our journey through life:
1- Use time wisely
2- Continue to Learn
3- Always Seek inspiration from the Spirit of God

Elder Russel M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of our church, also spoke to us and gave us this wise counsel:

"The end for which you should strive is to be the person that you can become — the person that God wants you to be.

"Much more important than what you have done for a living is what kind of person you have become. On your final graduation day … what you have become will matter most."

(To see what else we were told at graduation exercises, please see this link: :-)http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705299300/6192-at-BYU-celebrate-graduation.html )

As I finish up this last semester of my undergraduate degree, I am considering what my next steps should be to help me become the kind of person God wants me to be, the kind of person I want me to be, and what paths I need to take to reach that goal. I have always pondered upon this question when I reach certain points in my life that require decisions about my future, and when it comes to a career, for the last several years there has been something in the back of my mind that has told me that Law School is an option that I should consider. So, as I finish up my classes, I am also going to have to make time to study for the LSAT. Depending on how well that goes, I'll let you all know where I go from there.

Goodbye Barlow...Hello Shenandoah!

After almost 4 months in Washington DC, my internship is almost over, and my days at the Barlow Center have come to an end. My internship technically doesn't end until April 30, but the Washington Seminar program is over and it was time for me and my friends to move out so the new students could move in. Between now and May 7th when I head back to Utah, I am staying with my grandmother-in-law, Stasia (Thank you!!). On one hand, I am excited to have my own room again (Yipee! No offense, Ruth), but on the other hand, I am sad to leave the friends I have made and I will miss being conveniently located in the city close to the metro, shopping, and beautiful, picturesque Georgetown.



My last weekend before moving out was spent with some friends hiking "Old Rag" mountain in Shenandoah National Park. My father-in-law, John (whom my friends and I came to refer to as "Papa John") was kind enough to let us stay at his place overnight and let us borrow his jeep so we could go hiking. John and I have had an ongoing disagreement about which mountains are "better:" The Rocky Mountains or the Appalachians? John thinks the Rocky Mountains are big and menacing, and I have argued that the Appalachians are small and wimpy. Well, after hiking Old Rag, I have conceded that though the Appalachians might be older and lower in elevation, they are definitely not wimpy, and they have a certain mystery, beauty, and romance about them that is equally as impressive as the height and majesty of the Rockies. I was hiking with 3 of my good guy friends, and several times I had to ask them to slow down a bit because I was having a hard time keeping up.

Though it was cool and cloudy all day, the hike was actually really enjoyable. There is a "rock scramble" section of the hike where you have to climb over and around a bunch of big boulders, and there are natural staircases carved into the granite from erosion. Though our views of the valley from the top were partially blocked because of the weather, the clouds near the summit of the mountain created a foggy effect that added extra mystery and intrigue to the hike. Before and after our hike, we drove through Shenandoah National Park along skyline drive on the top ridge of the mountain range. On the way up, the clouds didn't permit much of a view of anything, but on the way back down, we were able to see the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains and fertile farm valleys in between. We even had a close encounter with two friendly and curious deer! As much as I love Washington DC, it was really nice to get away from the city for awhile, become reacquainted with nature and wide-open spaces, and breathe in the clean, fresh mountain air.

Cherry Blossom Festival

My inner flower-child has blossomed!

One of the main reasons I decided to come to Washington DC during the spring is so I could be here during Cherry Blossom Festival, and I'm so glad I did! It was so beautiful to walk around the Tidal Basin when the trees were at their peak. The Magnolia trees around the Smithsonian Castle were also at their peak around the same time. I also was able to take a "wildflower tour" on Theodore Roosevelt Island where I learned about the native and non-native species in the area. Springtime in Washington DC is beautiful! The weather has been typical of springtime anywhere: cold and rain one day, warm and sunny the next.

If you want to learn more about the history of the Cherry trees in DC, check out this link:
http://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=574

One of the funnest parts of the festival was going to the Parade on Saturday morning. My friends and I found a great spot by one of the museums right at the beginning of the parade where all the participants line up before turning onto Constitution avenue for the official start of the parade. Alex Trebec was the Grand Marshall, and I was able to get my picture with him! I know, I look like a five-year-old on my birthday, but it was pretty exciting stuff!

After watching the pretty horses trot on by, I decided that one of my goals in life is to ride a horse in a parade at least once before I die. Despite my ability to adapt to an urban lifestyle, the truth is, I've always been a cowgirl at heart. :-)