Think Inside the Box

We recently got a new couch and loveseat for our family room. (That story could be a blog in and of itself . . . but I'll save that for another time.)  Anyway, as any child could tell you,  the best thing about anything new is the box.  There are many different ways to play with a box.  To be honest, my kids came up with a way I hadn't thought of before. 

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, right?  Luckily, none of their injuries were bad enough to warrant medical attention.  As you can imagine, the box didn't hold its shape very long with this game, and soon collapsed on itself.  But Daphne optimistically told me, "Mom, it's like a challenge!  You try to climb through the box before it smashes you!"

nice.

Budding Photographers

My kids like nothing better than getting ahold of the camera and taking hundreds of pictures. Every time I download pics from my camera, there are inevitably way more than I remember taking. That would be because Sean has gone on a photo shoot. Sometimes the other kids take a few, but Sean is the main culprit.    Thank goodness for digital!  Here is a smattering of their work:

Daphne's favorite subjects are her brothers.  She calls this one, "Monkey Face"

Daphne- "Cutie Hayden"

Daphne-- "Sean being a bad guy."

Sean- "It's Me!" (this boy is really into self-portraits.  I think he takes after his Aunt Melanie.  We love you Aunt Mel!  and all your beautiful self portraits!)

Dallin- "Friends"

Dallin- "Indiana Jones & the Dangerous Nazis"

"The Nazi's are "incriminal" with Japan."

 I asked Dallin what "incriminal" means and he told me it means that they are bad guys who are friends.

Sean--"A tree"

Sean- "Car"

Sean- "Daphne"

Sean- "Uncle Monkey"

Sean- "Bassa Ball"

Happy Valentine's Day

It worked out perfectly to have Valentine's Day on a Saturday this year because I did an awesome Valentine's breakfast for my family. My mom started doing a special Valentine breakfast when I was in Jr. High, I think. I'm not positive on the timing, but I do remember that I had already formed the opinion that Valentine's Day might have been one of the stupidest holidays I could think of. I got so annoyed with the girls at school who's "boyfriends" brought them presents or whatever. I was partly jealous that no boys liked me, and partly annoyed that anybody in Jr. High had "boyfriends." Pah-lease.

Anyway, my mom changed my outlook on Valentine's day when she came up with the idea of having a Valentine's Breakfast. I remember she made special heart-shaped place mats, set the table with nice dishes, and I think we had heart-shaped french toast with strawberries and whipped cream. She also made each of us a Valentine telling us she loved us and put it by our place at the table.  I went to school that day feeling loved instead of like a reject.  

So this is a tradition that is near and dear to my heart.  I made french toast with raspberry/chocolate/cream cheese.  Very decadent, but not a hit with the kids.  (Guess I'll stick with traditional next year.)   I also did a yummy Amish breakfast casserole, that I cut into heart shapes.  It was soooo tasty!  And we had strawberry smoothies.  My family loved it, which made all the work worth it.   

Hayden pulling down the decorations--nothing better than that.

I just love these guys!!!  

My honey and I were still in our jammies, so lucky for you, no pics of us. 

But I'd just like to say that 

I LOVE YOU ARTHUR!!!

Happy Valentine's Day.

Confession

Today, being the 13th day of February, I finally put my decorations away.  Which decorations, you ask?  That would be the Christmas decorations.  Yes, the Christmas decorations. In fact, my tree would probably still be up if it weren't for my Visiting Teachers who helped me take all the ornaments and lights off during their January visit.  (Hurray for Visiting Teachers!)  

So I've been taking the other decorations down gradually, and collecting them in the dining room, with all the storage boxes.  But for some reason actually putting them in the boxes and taking them out to the garage just never made it to top priority.  It has been looming on my to-do list for a month and a half and today I finally did it!  They are all tucked away in their boxes and waiting blissfully for next December.  I feel like a great burden has been lifted.  In fact, with all the boxes moved out of the dining room, I feel inspired to paint!  

Open-mouth surgery

I was told it wouldn't be a very big deal--they do these all the time, they don't even put you to sleep, and I'd be able to drive myself home. What they meant is it isn't a very big deal TO THEM!

On Friday I went in for surgery at Dr. Williams, the Peridontist.  I had a frenectomy and a gum tissue graft because my frenem (frenom? frenam?  however you spell that--Jenny & Brian could tell me) was pulling down the gum tissue around one of my lower front teeth.  They gave me some nitrous oxide to breathe and numbed the area to be operated on.  It is the weirdest feeling laying under the knife, being able to see the cutting motions, and blood on the latex gloves and be okay with it. (Thanks to the nitrous oxide.) 

But the happy feeling and the numbing medication wore off before I even got home and my mouth was throbbing!  I couldn't wait to take some of my pain killers that make you very drowsy.   

So here's the deal with a frenectomy--they don't just snip the frenom.  They cut all along the bottom inside of your lip and stitch it up.  I'd post a picture, but I can't even extend my lip out far enough to look at it myself.  Plus it would probably gross you out.  It's a big pain. Eating is a pain, talking is a pain, and smiling is a pain.  And those are three of my FAVORITE THINGS! 

My advice to any of you out there who are contemplating a frenectomy is this:  Make sure you really need one before getting one of these things done.  I'm wondering if a receding gum line wouldn't have been so bad . . . 

One Voice

I just wanted to say that this morning I wrote three emails: One to each of my senators and one to my President. A lot of times when I think about the public officials who represent me, I think, "What do they know? They have NO idea what's important to me!" Well, this morning, I emailed them, and let them know what is important to me with regards to couple of different issues. So whether or not they agree with or follow my sage advice, at least my opinions are now sitting in their inboxes, and not just swimming around in my head.  It feels pretty good.  I think I'll do it more often.  

Just FYI

• If you want to email President Obama, to congratulate him, let him know what's important to you, or both, click here.  
• If you're a New Mexican click on the Senators names for a link to their contact page.

Tom Udall

Jeff Bingaman

• If you are in another state, you can do a google search for your senators and find their website with their contact information.  It's quick, easy, and painless!  And you'll feel really good about doing your democratic duty.  After all, how can a democracy work, if the representatives don't hear from their constituents?