Well, time flies and although I like winter less every year, I'll still take it over Arizona summers.
We went to Boise for Thanksgiving to my sister Melanie's. It was TONS of fun! Both Tyler and I worked the day before the holiday, so I got done early to prep all our stuff, pack, etc. As soon as Tyler got home we got on the road and drove to a Motel just off the exit to Twin Falls, continuing our journey the following morning. It was delightful to be with family, be away from home, and be together.
We came home and with December came overly cold weather. Let's put it this way, I actually didn't run in the early am for quite a while because it was that cold. In a word, it was wretched. I began to seriously dread the rest of the winter more than every before.
Tyler and I work alternate weekends. It's glorious. Not really. But, it works and I'm grateful my work has been good to comply. Here in another 6 weeks-ish, I'll be working mostly evenings and hardly any weekends at all. It's going to be best for family life- consistency, and more sleep.
Tyler is really trying to figure out what he wants to do career wise. The prison job is a major blessing, but he knows he doesn't want to be there forever. He's toying with the ideas of being a diplomat, working for the US Marshals, Emergency Management, and a few others. All of a sudden he's a "grown up."
Derek is learning so much as preschool- counting to 100, the months of the year, "Puff the Magic Dragon," a much more. We're still trying to get that chronic thumb out of his mouth. He continues to be a good helper and I love it when he wakes up in the morning and climbs in bed with me.
Benjamin talks more and more and actually forms little sentences. Now that I'm no longer the primary chorister (as of today), I'm really gonna miss going to nursery and singing with him and the other small children. That also goes for seeing Derek in primary. He's frequently coming up to the front to give me hugs. I'm gonna miss that.
Ben is even learning to make sound effects as he flies his little planes and drives his little cars. He's still trying hard to be a picky eater. We're exploring various options to remedy that. Sigh. Most of the time he's a pure delight to have around and will still snuggle with Mommy. :)
We've gone sledding a few times, Tyler's taken them to the zoo, and we're all trying to not get too-bad a case of cabin fever. Christmas was fun. We actually had Santa come on the 27th since Tyler and I worked Christmas Day, and he the day after. But, on the 27th, talk about magic!!! In fact, Ben woke up before Derek, at a normal time. So Tyler and I snuggled with him a bit waiting for Derek knowing that this was probably the last year before early Christmas mornings. Then, the magic began!!! I have my hesitations about the whole Santa thing, but it was fun to watch their excitement. Ben got to a point where he no longer wanted to open presents- too boring! Playing with new toys was much more fascinating.
We went uptown to the lights that afternoon and to see the giant gingerbread house in the Grand American Hotel. Holy moly! The floor was even made of rice krispie treats! It was a seriously marvelous day.
Our new year was pretty uneventful. Between the cold and work, we went to bed early New Year's Eve. Now we know how old and boring we are.
Benjamin's birthday was fun. Derek got a bit jealous as his brother opened presents. It's hard to believe he's already 2! Not fair how fast children grow.
Well, thankfully January is unusually warm. Should I be worried- water storage, etc? Perhaps, but I figure I can't do anything about it, so I'll just enjoy it, except for the inversion part.
Life is great and this blogpost is rather boring. But hey, I updated the blog, so I'm proud of myself for that.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Monday, November 18, 2013
Needles and Haystackes
Who doesn't love fall? (If you happen to be a mutant and not enjoy the best season ever, please don't spoil it by telling me) The crisp air, the lovely colors, excellent hiking, and stellar runs in practically perfect conditions regardless of time of day are just a few of my favorite things about autumn. I also like rain drops on roses, crisp apple strudels (gluten free, of course), door bells, sleigh bells, okay I'll stop.
Halloween is always a trip with small children. Derek wanted to be an elephant (his favorite animal, EVER!) and Benjamin used an old doggy costume. He was cutest, squishiest, adorable doggy. Period. Derek refused to wear his elephant nose, but consented to wear the head band with Dumbo ears (this is the child who had a major melt-down every time he had to adjust to new shoes for the first 2+ years of his life). Strange the OCD tendencies my children pick up from their father... ahem...I mean mother (guess I didn't realize I was so obvious- and for clarification, I adore new shoes and have no problem wearing them and could probably multiply and replenish the earth with new shoes if I felt my wallet could withstand it).
Moving right along... Tyler and I dressed up and Kate Beckett as Richard Castle from abc's "Castle" which we love. I don't remember the last time I wore that much eye make up. It was probably that silly junior miss pageant when I was a senior in high school. Did I really participate in a pageant? Whoa!
The past few months I have been seeing an acupuncturist for restless leg syndrome (RLS-yep, there's an acronym for everything). I feel I have found a new amazing secret, but it really shouldn't be a secret. It's AMAZING!!! I used to wear compression socks almost every day (especially after a run) due to the pain from my varicose veins (thank you, genetics... not really). I no longer feel a need to wear them, even after my weekly 10-11 mile runs. I feel super young again and feel so grateful to have been guided to this form of "alternative" medicine. And, my restless legs are waking me in the night less and less.
Tyler just finished the academy for the Utah Department of Corrections for his job at the prison. The highlights were: "What Does the Fox Say?," range practice, being sprayed with OC spray, and ultra boring lectures on the psychology of prison inmates. Honestly?! He loves his job and I do too because who doesn't love having a happy man in the house?!
And...wait for it... my favorite part? A hideous infection of Streptococcus pyogenes! Say wha? At the end of a serious battle with wretched laryngitis, I got a nasty case of strep throat. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck- I couldn't even sit in the chair in the exam room at the dr. office- I curled up like a fetus on the exam table. Blech!!! My appreciation for Alexander Fleming took on new meaning (the man who is credited for antibiotic discovery- the Penicillium mold story thus finding penicillin, etc.). Poor little Benjamin got it too, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I had a much higher bacteria load cuz he hardly seemed effective. Or, I'm a major pansy.
Okay, this post is overly long and full of tangents. I'll stop now.
Halloween is always a trip with small children. Derek wanted to be an elephant (his favorite animal, EVER!) and Benjamin used an old doggy costume. He was cutest, squishiest, adorable doggy. Period. Derek refused to wear his elephant nose, but consented to wear the head band with Dumbo ears (this is the child who had a major melt-down every time he had to adjust to new shoes for the first 2+ years of his life). Strange the OCD tendencies my children pick up from their father... ahem...I mean mother (guess I didn't realize I was so obvious- and for clarification, I adore new shoes and have no problem wearing them and could probably multiply and replenish the earth with new shoes if I felt my wallet could withstand it).
Moving right along... Tyler and I dressed up and Kate Beckett as Richard Castle from abc's "Castle" which we love. I don't remember the last time I wore that much eye make up. It was probably that silly junior miss pageant when I was a senior in high school. Did I really participate in a pageant? Whoa!
The past few months I have been seeing an acupuncturist for restless leg syndrome (RLS-yep, there's an acronym for everything). I feel I have found a new amazing secret, but it really shouldn't be a secret. It's AMAZING!!! I used to wear compression socks almost every day (especially after a run) due to the pain from my varicose veins (thank you, genetics... not really). I no longer feel a need to wear them, even after my weekly 10-11 mile runs. I feel super young again and feel so grateful to have been guided to this form of "alternative" medicine. And, my restless legs are waking me in the night less and less.
Tyler just finished the academy for the Utah Department of Corrections for his job at the prison. The highlights were: "What Does the Fox Say?," range practice, being sprayed with OC spray, and ultra boring lectures on the psychology of prison inmates. Honestly?! He loves his job and I do too because who doesn't love having a happy man in the house?!
And...wait for it... my favorite part? A hideous infection of Streptococcus pyogenes! Say wha? At the end of a serious battle with wretched laryngitis, I got a nasty case of strep throat. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck- I couldn't even sit in the chair in the exam room at the dr. office- I curled up like a fetus on the exam table. Blech!!! My appreciation for Alexander Fleming took on new meaning (the man who is credited for antibiotic discovery- the Penicillium mold story thus finding penicillin, etc.). Poor little Benjamin got it too, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I had a much higher bacteria load cuz he hardly seemed effective. Or, I'm a major pansy.
Okay, this post is overly long and full of tangents. I'll stop now.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Can You Please Stop Growing?
The summer finished off in a whirlwind and methinks we are still managing our way through the rubble. July brought a fun vacation. We went camping in Strawberry, caught crawdads, and Derek got his 1st s'more. We then spent a few days in Logan. We hiked, played at the park, saw real-live construction trucks, and discovered what it's like for all to share a motel room- adventurous!
The beginning of August found us at Flaming Gorge with the Canova's. We hunted and ate crawdads like primates, played like crazy people, ate like Olympic champs, and rode on wave runners like renegades. Benjamin sat in a prickly pear cactus, just to make sure he didn't miss out on too much fun. Daddy and Grandpa Canova had the delightful pleasure of taking all the needles out.
The middle of August I, Mindy, was in charge of a relay team for the Grand Teton Relay. We had more fun than people oughtta be permitted. With the Moyers, Kelly Johnson, Char, and Lynne, how could we not have a rockin' good time?! Speaking of eating like Olympic champs... The scenery was breath-taking, the sleep more than sketchy, and conversation replete with jokes. I could do that relay over and over again every year. Ragnar? Who needs 'em?!
Derek started his 2nd year of preschool the end of August and, of course, LOVES it! He also did great in swimming lessons over the summer. His "Nemo" goggles brought out the cutest in him. He loves to play with Benjamin and frequently patronizes him, says "Sorry Ben," then does it some more. Ugh. When playing with his trains, he pretends his trains are on the real Thomas the Train movies and is now telling me how "useful" he is and/or his trains. Supposedly Thomas is quite the"uesful" engine on the big screen. The other night after being put to bed, he came out of the bedroom. I was sweeping in the kitchen and Tyler was reading on our bed. Derek went to Daddy and proceeded to tell him that when he was little Mommy pushed him over, but Daddy made him happy. WHA?.....
Benjamin's cheeks jiggle when he runs and he exclaims, "Weee!" every time he goes down a slide, or we go down a hill in the car, or doing anything else of a similar motion. His vocabulary keeps increasing on a steep exponential curve. He says,"Amen!" at the end of prayers,"Eddy, seh, go!" whenever semi-appropriate, and instead of "yes" he says, "Uh, huh" while nodding his head. He recently comforted me after I banged my finger by giving me hugs and saying, "Kay" meaning, "It's okay." He is still my delicious bundle of squishiness.
As a mother, it's rare to not feel dis-combobulated and have to-do list longer than a Christmas advent calendar. I'm learning to care less about what others think and live in the moment. I'm also going to acupuncture for restless legs. Getting more sleep is paramount. That's gonna take some effort! But the acupuncture is almost like magic!
Tyler is suffering through post training for the prison. He's done the beginning of November and it apparently can't get here soon enough! We were gonna run the AF Halloween 5K to see who was faster (me or him), but that's off. 1. His muscles are over-trained from PT at post, and 2. He admitted he wouldn't be able to keep up with me. There you have it folks!
Well, life continues to be a thrill a minute. Tyler and I recently redeemed some Marriott points in Park City for our birthdays and I've taken the boys on a few hikes. Fall is always a great time of year. We're getting ready for Halloween and I'm lamenting the upcoming cold weather. Last winter was so wretched! Sigh. Too bad I can't control the cosmos. All in all, life is good and we are very blessed.
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The beginning of August found us at Flaming Gorge with the Canova's. We hunted and ate crawdads like primates, played like crazy people, ate like Olympic champs, and rode on wave runners like renegades. Benjamin sat in a prickly pear cactus, just to make sure he didn't miss out on too much fun. Daddy and Grandpa Canova had the delightful pleasure of taking all the needles out.
The middle of August I, Mindy, was in charge of a relay team for the Grand Teton Relay. We had more fun than people oughtta be permitted. With the Moyers, Kelly Johnson, Char, and Lynne, how could we not have a rockin' good time?! Speaking of eating like Olympic champs... The scenery was breath-taking, the sleep more than sketchy, and conversation replete with jokes. I could do that relay over and over again every year. Ragnar? Who needs 'em?!
Derek started his 2nd year of preschool the end of August and, of course, LOVES it! He also did great in swimming lessons over the summer. His "Nemo" goggles brought out the cutest in him. He loves to play with Benjamin and frequently patronizes him, says "Sorry Ben," then does it some more. Ugh. When playing with his trains, he pretends his trains are on the real Thomas the Train movies and is now telling me how "useful" he is and/or his trains. Supposedly Thomas is quite the"uesful" engine on the big screen. The other night after being put to bed, he came out of the bedroom. I was sweeping in the kitchen and Tyler was reading on our bed. Derek went to Daddy and proceeded to tell him that when he was little Mommy pushed him over, but Daddy made him happy. WHA?.....
Benjamin's cheeks jiggle when he runs and he exclaims, "Weee!" every time he goes down a slide, or we go down a hill in the car, or doing anything else of a similar motion. His vocabulary keeps increasing on a steep exponential curve. He says,"Amen!" at the end of prayers,"Eddy, seh, go!" whenever semi-appropriate, and instead of "yes" he says, "Uh, huh" while nodding his head. He recently comforted me after I banged my finger by giving me hugs and saying, "Kay" meaning, "It's okay." He is still my delicious bundle of squishiness.
As a mother, it's rare to not feel dis-combobulated and have to-do list longer than a Christmas advent calendar. I'm learning to care less about what others think and live in the moment. I'm also going to acupuncture for restless legs. Getting more sleep is paramount. That's gonna take some effort! But the acupuncture is almost like magic!
Tyler is suffering through post training for the prison. He's done the beginning of November and it apparently can't get here soon enough! We were gonna run the AF Halloween 5K to see who was faster (me or him), but that's off. 1. His muscles are over-trained from PT at post, and 2. He admitted he wouldn't be able to keep up with me. There you have it folks!
Well, life continues to be a thrill a minute. Tyler and I recently redeemed some Marriott points in Park City for our birthdays and I've taken the boys on a few hikes. Fall is always a great time of year. We're getting ready for Halloween and I'm lamenting the upcoming cold weather. Last winter was so wretched! Sigh. Too bad I can't control the cosmos. All in all, life is good and we are very blessed.
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