Dinner Conversation

One of my favorite things about teaching middle school age kids is that they understand sarcasm, but are still relatively obedient.  Benjamin, who is in 5th grade, is beginning to discover how sarcasm can be used in humor.  (We try to discourage it in other forms, like to be mean.)

And here is a brief glimpse into last night's dinner conversation:

Nathaniel:  Mom, why haven't you finished reading the Pokemon Ultimate Handbook yet???  You've been stuck on the "E" section for weeks now!   All of us read it in like 3 days!!

Me:  Nathaniel, the difference between you reading and me reading it is that you care about it.

Todd: [snort]  (he was drinking at the time, but it wasn't quite funny enough for him to get it up his nose.)

Nathaniel:  Well, that's mean.

Me:  No, it's not.  I have lots of things that I'm interested in that don't interest you guys.

Benjamin:  Like what?

Me:  Like Pride and Prejudice.

Nathaniel:  I like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Me:  I mean regular Pride and Prejudice.  How about you sit down with me one night and we can watch all 4 hours of the movie together. 

Benjamin:  What is Pride and Prejudice about?

Me:  5 daughters.  Who talk.

Todd:  For 4 hours.  [Can you tell he's not such a fan?]

Me:  Well, sometimes they walk.

Benjamin: [fist pumped in the air] Woo hoo!  Action!!  That's MY kind of movie!  Walking???  Excellent!

Nathaniel:  Can we have popcorn and movie candy and drinks while we watch it?

Me:  Sure.

Nathaniel:  Okay.  I'll watch it.

Benjamin:  Action movies are awesome!
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This is a fun age!  I feel like I have to capture all of the wonderful and fun moments now in preparation for the gathering storm of teenager to come.  I have seen it in action.  It ain't pretty.

Happy Thanksgiving/Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!!

This is how those holidays looked at our house.  Just imagine all members of the family taking turns on the couch.  Again, not so impressed with the results of the flu shot.  (Although, to be fair, Lilyanna and Todd had the shot and didn't get it.  Todd got all sorts of other fun sickness, but not the flu.)  Now, if we'd all gotten sick at once, this could have been our Christmas card for next year!!

Baby Eczema

Is lame.

I've been struggling since July with a nearly debilitating version of dyshidrotic eczema.  After a gazillion visits with "the premier specialist in the field" (in several fields, actually.  The doctors can't decide whose problem it should be.) and all sorts of wacky tests that last for days and days, still nobody knows why.  You can see why having hands like this would be little tricky for anyone, but especially a mom who must wipe away tears and change diapers and do dishes oh, and be a piano teacher.  (warning: that link leads to a gross picture of somebody else's hands, but is a fairly accurate representation of my hands at their worst.)

Last month, Lilyanna developed regular garden variety eczema all over her face.  It is so sad and she's so uncomfortable.  (And yes, we're doing all the stuff you're supposed to do to help.)  And I know it doesn't work like this, but there is a part of me that keeps trying to strike bargains with the world.  "Look, I'll take this nastiness on my hands for another year, if she can just get better, please.  PLEASE!!"

Apparently given my struggle with eczema my whole life, and the fact that Todd has asthma and allergies, it's something of a miracle that all of our children didn't struggle with it as babies.  For that, I am very grateful.  I am also grateful that she will happily play for long periods of time.  But then it's like it all comes back to her how itchy and uncomfortable she is and she has a little meltdown.

Did I mention it's so sad to see her so uncomfortable?

You can see it looking not so bad in this picture, but it's definitely spread more since this picture was taken a couple weeks ago.

Baby eczema is lame.

Boston in the Fall!

Do you see that gorgeous lady and her gorgeous baby?

Not me and Lilyanna, the OTHER gorgeous lady and gorgeous baby, silly!  ;)

They are some of my favoritest people in the universe.  The husband/dad that go with them is in that category, too, but he was too busy taking pictures to be in the pictures.

I had a plane ticket to use before December, so when I thought of who I could go visit who lived in the same time zone, Liz and her family jumped right into my mind!  We haven't seen one another since right before we moved to Ohio back when Caleb was a baby!  And when I emailed Liz, whom I've known and loved for more than two decades now, and suggested that my baby and I should come invade their life and home for a weekend, she said, "YES!!"  Because she is wonderful and warm and welcoming like that.  To hear her tell it, she's not like that with everyone, but I don't know if I believe her... 

Here is Lilyanna showing Mr. B how the walking thing is done.  

Here is Mr. B being not so sure about Lilyanna invading his space.

It was very sweet to get our kids together to play a little, and even better to have a relaxing weekend visiting with old friends.  Being with old friends always reminds me about all the stories we could tell our children about one another that for now we don't.  I'm sure someday we'll share some, but for now, these kids wouldn't appreciate hearing about our wilder days anyway.  (I have a 10 year old, though, who would LOVE to hear the socky-time story...  See?  This is what I mean.  Some things people don't need to know.  They should just stay buried in 1986 where they belong.)

  And, we went to the beach!!  I have no pictures of that because it was really very cold.  However, I discovered that Lilyanna enjoys sand, water, and chasing seagulls.  I find all of these likes very encouraging for future beach going!  And I was able to visit with my beautiful, brilliant AND nice cousin.  (Seriously, is it really fair to have ALL of those qualities.  Almost Dr. Jen, can't  you share a little with the rest of us??)

Many thanks to my wondermous friend, Liz and her husband and baby for a delightful and relaxing weekend!

Mr. Footsteps

2011: Must blog more.

With this in mind, I found this picture from last June when Benjamin was literally crowned "Mr. Footsteps" at his recital.  His studio gives this award to one of the boys at the studio each year who they feel has exemplified some quality that "makes Jesus smile".  Benjamin was selected for last year because of his incredible individuality.  Mentioned by the studio director were some of his fearless fashion choices, but also how he remains true to what he knows is right.

We already know these things about Benjamin, but it's nice to get a crown, scepter, and sash as proof that other people see them, too.

I promise that's a costume under the sash and not further proof of the fearless fashion choices.

Newborn Lilyanna

I have all of the wonderful intentions and supplies to make pretty scrapbooks, but I just don't have or don't make the time to do it.  All my other kids are only 1 year old in their books.  I loaded up these pics to shutterfly right after Lilyanna was born and did nothing with them.  Today before I logged out from doing something else, it autofilled these for me.  I added a few captions, switched a few pictures to different places, found a coupon for free shipping and ordered it.  I would love to devote days and days to creating a one of a kind piece of artwork for Lilyanna's scrapbook, but that is not the reality of my life right now.  So for now, I will appreciate this feature and I think the rest of my kids will, too.

Click here to view this photo book larger

"Harses, Harses, Harses, Harses"

My nephew enjoying a ride.

What could be more Wyoming than horseback riding??  When I was growing up, my Grandpa Bradshaw always had horses and ponies for we grandkids to ride whenever we came out.  So even though we were a bunch of city slicker easterners, we could still hold our own on a horse.  It did not even begin to occur to me that not everyone knew how to ride horses until the year I took Todd horse back riding.  It became quickly obvious to everyone watching that riding is actually something learned and people don't just know how to do it.  (Although, he can beautifully navigate through every major city's mass transit system with zero problems.  We all have our strengths.)  

Warren's first time on a horse.

Nathaniel and Benjamin trying to remember how to do this.  It's been a few years.  "But Mom, WHY do I need to put my feet in the stirrups??"

Anyway, my parents have failed their grandkids in providing horses to teach them these valuable life lessons, but fortunately they know people who can help.  Some cousin of mine (second-ish, I think) was absurdly nice and loaded up a bunch of horses and a pony and drove all the way from LoneTree to the rodeo grounds in Lyman just because my Dad asked her if she could help out his poor deprived city slicker grandkids.  Some of whom have Never Even Been On A Horse!  

"Horses are stinky!"

The summer that I was 16, I went out to Wyoming to live with my grandparents for the summer.  Every morning my cousin Cassie and I would go down the dugway to where my Grandpa kept his horses.  Apparently, I pleased him that summer, because shortly before he died, he mentioned what a "fine horsewoman" I had become.  (For a city girl.)"

Anyway, it was fun to share some of my love of horses with my children.  I'm grateful that they, too, have Wyoming Grandparents and that they can see and experience some of my favorite things from my childhood.

Aunt Rachel decided that the pony was more her size.  ;)

Caleb, on the other hand wanted the big horse.  He actually trotted for a little bit.  (Not on purpose, and it spooked him a little bit.  But he did get back in the saddle one more time after that.)  Good boy!

C'est moi!

Lilyanna and HER Grandpa Bradshaw teaching her about horses.