The things kids say

I saw this online somewhere and thought it was hilarious. I just wanted to share it. I can't wait for Craig to start talking just so I can relay all the funny things he says (yeah, I know, everyone says that, then they get irritated when the kid never shuts up).

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: “Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.” (I want this line used at my funeral!)

This one may be long, but it's sort of a journal entry today

I went out with the sister missionaries last night. It was a lot of fun, and a bit surreal. There was another sister in the ward who signed up too, so we actually did a split. I went with Sis. Nock and the other sister from the ward went with Sis. Reyes. It turns out that Sis. Nock is from North Carolina! Kinston, to be precise. She knows a lot of the same people as I do since I served in two wards that are in the Kinston stake, Morehead and Greenville. She's also a Temple Square sister! I feel really grateful for the chance to get to know her, since this will be her only area.


We went to visit a part member family that Robert and I actually know pretty well. It was surreal sitting there next to a sister missionary--so many memories. I almost reached over to readjust my nametag. We chatted for a while and she gave a spiritual thought, then she did something that I never would have guessed, since I have seen so few missionaries do it since I've been home, but it was something my comps and I did a lot, and it catapulted me back through time. She pulled out her little mini hymn book and asked me if I would sing a hymn with her. Then she chose Lead Kindly Light, one of the ones I used to always choose. I was there. I was sooooo there. And I was sooooo ready to keep going. As we drove home she was so excited that she felt like maybe she made a connection with the couple and maybe she could help. I wanted so badly to be able to go back to our apartment, plan for the next day, and talk about ways we could help the people in the area, plan missionary firesides, and choose streets to tract. But, alas, I have a different life now and different obligations. Missions were never meant to last forever and if they did, they may lose their magic.


I came home to Robert taking an online exam and Craig asleep in his crib. I remembered some other trivial things that I am grateful to not have to deal with as a missionary (rules, boundaries, etc.). And I have a new found excitement for the work I can do and the changes I can make as a member of this ward, here. And the best part is, I received a little bit of inspiration on how to proceed with a non-member friend of mine who seems to be searching, but doesn't know what for. I'm excited to see what happens with her, to have the sisters over for dinner, and to go out with them again. I'm glad to be where I am and to have the opportunities I have here and now. I need to be better about making the most of it.

A Day of Firsts

Yesterday was a day of many firsts for Craig: first time down a slide, first ride on a swing, and first haircut! The weather was absolutely beautiful yesterday (and today) for the first time in a long time. It was sunny, around 50 degrees, and perfect. After conference, we went to the park and Craig seemed to really enjoy himself. We also decided it was time to cut his hair, so I hope you can tell by the picture. Robert did it and he looks so cute!

Farewell, Grass Head Man

This is my final picture of Grass Head Man. I figured once he started growing mold on the side of his face, it was time to say goodbye. The last time I gave him a trim (the last time I posted about him) I decided to just let it grown and see what happened. He got quite punkish, until one day , upon careful examination, I realized that the left side of his head wasn't as long as the right. (Can you tell the difference in the picture?) As I pondered on the properties of photosynthesis and the amount of sun that the left side was exposed to as opposed the right, while deep in thought, the cat walked by. And then I realized--cat's eat grass. And Grass Head Man's left side would have only been accessible to a naughty, percosious kitty, if she jumped up onto the kitchen counter and daintily balanced herself on the sink, a feat she would have been berated for had she done it with a human around. But now Grass Head Man has gone the way of all dirt-and-grass-seed-stuffed-knee-high-nylons. Those pesky humans, they ruin all her fun.

I had to post this

I know I've posted way too much in the last 12 hours, but this is hilarious.

Just follow this link. Please. Oh, please.

HELP!!!

Again, we are having trouble with a part of Craig's sleeping habits. This new ordeal began when I weaned him from his nightly feeding. He used to wake up every morning at about 5:00am for a feeding, then go right back to sleep until 7:00 or later. When I weaned him, Robert went in for a few nights at 5:00ish and just rocked him then laid him back down. He went back to sleep until 7:00, just the same. It only took a few nights and he was pretty much sleeping right through the 5:00am wake up, but that only happened once or twice. Ever since we've had trouble getting him to stop waking up between 5:00 and 6:00. We've tried leaving him alone, and to which he reacts by laying down and trying to go to sleep, but continues to wimper and whine every 10 mintuted or so, either until it's time to get up for the day or until he falls asleep, which is usually about an hour later. He then only sleeps for another 30 or 45 minutes until he's ready to get up. The worst part of this is that he gets ready for a nap earlier than he should in the morning from his loss of sleep, and then I have to struggle to keep him up between naps so he can last until bed time, at 7:00, which may be too early, but sometimes it's hard to keep him up that late because of his early morning.

I've thought that maybe he's an early riser and I just need to start getting up with him at 6:00, or put him to bed later, but he's been waking up every morning earlier and earlier, and he's really cranky when he wakes up. That is unusual for Craig--the way I've always been able to tell when he's ready to get up from a nap, and especially in the morning, is he's happy and playing and babbling to himself, not fussy and crying. So, I know he's not ready to get up, rocking him and laying him back down (or simply patting his back with him the crib) makes him quiet while we're doing it, but he cries the minute we leave the room. Leaving him alone doesn't seem to be working, since we've done it for several nights in a row and he never seems to make any progress--he stays awake for just as long each night. So again I say, HELP!

March for Babies

You've probably noticed my button on the top right of the blog, but I am doing the March of Dimes March for Babies walk this year. The town just south of us is hosting it (so it's nice and close) and I know some people who are putting together a team, so I joined. The walk is on May 9th and I'm really excited. I haven't done anything like this before, so I'm interested to see what comes of it. Anyway, wish me luck!

Boy? Girl? Read on to find out!

IT'S A BOY!!!
(You're looking at a bum shot)


AND A GIRL!!!!!!!!!
(Waving hi--Surprise!)


AND A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Side view---Double surprise!!)





And if you're reading this on Thursday, remember, it's still Wednesday to me, therefore...........April Fools!


We DID find out, and we are pretty sure, but not definite, that it's a boy. Those pictures are real, and they're all the same baby. (Look at the first one and let me know what you think--apparently that's the "appendage" we're counting on making him a boy.)

My big, walkin' boy

Craig's been getting more and more adventurous with his walking, so we took a few videos on Sunday, and here's one. He didn't do his best, longest walking in this one, but I love how happy he is with himself for doing it. :) It's short, don't worry.

P.S. We're getting the ultrasound today! Hopefully the baby will cooperate and we'll be able to tell if it's a boy or girl.

WE'RE GETTING SISTER MISSIONARIES!

Today it was announced in church that our ward is getting sister missionaries and they are coming tomorrow!! I have waited 5 years to live in a ward where there are sister missionaries and I am so excited, I can't use enough exclamation points!!!!! I went and signed up for dinner for Tuesday night (the only other night that was taken for the week was Monday, so I figure we'll have to fix that). I also signed up for exchanges after dinner on Tuesday. I just really want them to know me and know that they can call me anytime they need a ride or anything--they share a car and I know what it's like have an area this big and bike everywhere. Plus the church is really strict on miles these days...worse than when I was a missionary. And this is really rural here, so not a lot of subdivisions or apartment buildings to tract. The upside (sort of) is that the elders we've had here in the recent past (not the most recent ones, they were really good) were major slackers so there's a lot of tracting and other work that definitely needs to be done. A lot of people they can recontact, you know? Anyway, I'm so excited, I'm just rambling. Okay, I have to go finish making dinner.

Just Strollin'!

I think I mentioned that we got Craig a little push-walker thing that converts to a sit-down ride-on thing when he's older. He took to it like Forrest Gump to a box of chocolates! He knew exactly what to do, and he even figured out how to steer it a little and get it moving again when he runs into a wall or the couch! I was so impressed. :) So, here's a little video of him doing his thing.



P.S. Ignore that trumpeting sound that happens part way through the video--that's just Robert in the bathroom, blowing his nose (or a foghorn, I'm not sure which).

Mmmmm...Cupcake Pops

Yesterday I got the urge to bake. I miss baking. A lot. But since I'm not eating sugar, it's hard to have baked goods around. So, I decided to satisfy my hunger for baking, I would make these Cupcake Pops and give them to the people I visit teach. Of course I had to try one, to make sure they were okay, you know. Don't worry, it was a mess up and was broken, so I think most of the sugar leaked out.

It was actually a lot of fun. I did a double batch, which I wouldn't recommend unless you have some help. These things are fun and easy, but time consuming. I found them here, at Pioneer Woman's blog, but she got them here, from Bakerella, who actually appeared on Martha Stewart to demonstrate them. Try it--it's a lot of little steps, but I think it's worth it. I will post the instructions and recipe below, or you can go to the other websites where I got them from.

You will need:
1 box cake mix (I used Devil's Food, like Pioneer Woman)
1 container icing (I used cream cheese, like Bakerella)
1 pack chocolate bark
1 pack white chocolate bark (I think they call it vanilla)
*Bakerella used pink melts, but I preferred the white.
Sprinkles, colored sugar, M&Ms, etc. for decorating (be creative...I wasn't really)
Lollipop sticks (I had bamboo skewers, so I used those)
Styrofoam block

To Make:
Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to directions and let cool. Crumble into a bowl and add the icing (maybe a little less than a full container). Form into balls (I did them about the size of a bouncy ball, but I think the others did them smaller) and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cool in the fridge or freezer (depending on quickly you want them to set) until firm, but not hard. For this next part (shaping), you can use a small, clover shaped cookie cutter as the others used, but I didn't have one small enough, so I just used my fingers to shape it into a cupcake shape--you know, narrow bottom and muffin-top. They actually kind of looked like mushrooms. (Which gives me an idea, but that's for another day.) Melt chocolates in double boilers or in the microwave at 30 second intervals. (If you use a pot of boiling water with a bowl on top, I would suggest not using a glass bowl but use metal instead. Also, be sure that the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl when it boils.) Dip the bottom of the cupcakes into the milk chocolate, set upside down on foil baking sheet and put the stick through the middle, but be sure not to go more than half way through the cupcake. When dry, hold cupcakes by the stick and dip tops into white chocolate. While wet, decorate with sprinkles, M&Ms, colored sugar, whatever you want. Stick into styrofoam and let dry. And you're done!
Makes about 25, if you make them the size of bouncy balls (Martha says it makes like 50, but she must make them tiny.)

For play-by-play photos, go to the Pioneer Woman or Bakerella links above.

Warnings? Who needs 'em!

I happened to be looking at the back of the highchair the other day when I read this warning for the first time:

Have you ever read something like this then realized that you have done all of the things listed?

My contention is, though, that all baby toys say, "Never leave child unattended." Of course, I agree, but within reason. If you never left your child unattended, what would be the point of having the toy if not to distract the child while you get a few things done (i.e. shower, do dishes, feed yourself...)? But don't worry, I keep a good eye on Craig...I just also know the value of a sane Mommy.

Dinner and a Movie

Does anyone else remember the Dinner and a Movie night that TBS (I think) used to have? I loved that...I wonder why they don't do it anymore.

Anywho--Robert and I went out last night for our anniversary. We went to this restaurant called The Montana Club (it's a chain around here), and I really liked it. Robert is the ultimate critic, but I think he liked it enough to go back, but probably not for the steak. (If you don't want to be kept from going to places like Outback because "it smelled like throw up one time when I went in," don't marry a chef.)

Then we went and saw the new movie "Duplicity". It was really cute. It had funny moments and some unexpected twists. There was one twist that Robert and I guessed in the very beginning of the movie, which is always a little disappointing, but it was a good movie for the most part. Not a lot of inappropriate stuff, compared to other PG-13 movies out there these days. Well, unless you count the times you see unmarried people in bed together. But you don't see any action when they're in bed, just talk. So, that's my review. I recommend checking it out in my favorite review site, kidsinmind.com, if you want to know everything about it, from words they say (like "butt" and of course more) to every immodest piece of clothing worn (and more). In fact, I think I'll add it to My Favorite Sites list on the side bar.

All in all, it was really a fun night. I especially enjoyed coming home and finding that the babysitter had not only done all the things I'd asked her to correctly, but she had vacuumed and thoroughly cleaned the high chair! And she's only 14! Yeah, she's my favorite, I think.

Coughs, runny nose, and fever

No, that's not Craig

Poor little Craig. He's got a runny (really icky) runny nose, a fever (not too bad, though), and he coughs like a seal begging for me to throw him another fish. I wish I could do more to make him feel better. When Robert and I were out last night we stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a better thermometer (got this one--it's awesome) and we decided to pick him up a couple new toys. We're not quite as indulgent as it sounds--he has a lot of toys, but he's outgrowing them and we've been meaning to get him something with the block shapes that he can fit into the right holes--he seems to love putting things in other things. We also have been wanting to get a little push walker thing since he loves to walk around holding onto the walls and furniture, so we did it. This morning, when he woke up, it was like Christmas! I feel so sorry for my poor little guy. :( I hope that made him happier.

Mommy's Little Helper

Finally, I can assign some chores to Craig! He's developed an obsession with the vacuum cleaner. We keep it in the corner of his room, so now whenever I go in there to put him down for a nap, no matter how tired he is, he pushes, squirms, and whines until I give him some alone time with the vacuum. Ever since I took this video, I've been bringing the thing out once a day for him and the vacuum to have a little play date. :) He cracks me up.



I love how when he finally realizes I'm there, he starts to talk and point at the vacuum, like he's telling me, "Look Mom, I made a new friend! Isn't he cool! He let's me push him around!"

P.S. This is our beloved $5 thrift store vacuum...it's commercial grade, apparently, so we have buy the bags and belts online (and attachments), but it sucks like a tornado. We love it, and when we first brought it home, Robert was literally pulling it out to show anyone that came over. What is it with Leal men and a yellow vacuum cleaner?

Onions strings

By the way, I made these the other day, and you can find the recipe here. They were really good, but let me warn you, if you eat a whole batch by yourself, you might feel a little queasy the rest of the day. I think it was worth it. :)

(FYI: The recipe calls for buttermilk, but I was too impatient to wait until I went grocery shopping, so I substituted with a little cheat--you just add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per one cup of regular milk, stir, and use like buttermilk! I also only used about an inch to an inch and a half of oil in my pan since I didn't have as much as the recipe says and they came out just fine.)

So, for our anniversary, we went to Denny's

We did go to Denny's last night, but it was because we were in Missoula for some shopping and had to eat dinner, so that's where we went, but it wasn't for our anniverdary. Robert and I are going out tomorrow night for our official anniversary date and we're going to place called the Montana Club (more on that later). As we were leaving Denny's, Craig got all excited about the stuffed animals in the claw machine case. (You know--the ones that are rigged so you can never win no matter how many quarters you put in and you end up spending more than you would just to go out and buy the stuffed animal at Wal-Mart?) I had $.50 in change so we got two quarters and put them in the machine, but just so Craig could see the claw thing move. Well, Robert moves it over this one little chickie laying right next to the drop bin, lowers it down, it grabs it, lifts it up, carries over to the drop bin, and drops it in! I was shocked! I haven't seen one of those machines works in years, and I have never seen one at Denny's work! I kept thinking at any moment it was going to not close until it raised up above the chick, or it was going shake so much it would drop out of the claw, or it was going to drop right before it got to the bin, but it didn't! I was so happy for Craig. It's actually a pretty cool little toy, I think. So, that's our most exciting news for the week, so far. :)

Four years, and counting

Well, it's our anniversary today. I was trying to think of something clever to do, or funny, or touching, but I guess my creative bug is tired or something. Craig already gave us our anniversary gift--he slept last night from 7:00 until 7:30 this morning without requiring either of us to go in to him at 5:00am! Way to go bubs! FYI: for the last 5 months I've been nursing him at 5:00am and starting last Saturday night Robert went in so I could complete the weaning process (sigh) and last night was the first night Robert didn't have to go in. It was fabulous. So, here's a picture to commemorate our wedding day, and my words of Happy Anniversary, Sweetie. I love you.

Youtube Temple Video

I posted a YouTube video at the bottom of the page about temples. It's similar to ones we've seen before, but I really liked it--it has Pres. Monson titled as the president of the church so I think it was made recently. It's just always good to remember why we build temples and why it's important to share that information with other people. I wish I lived closer to a temple. That's my goal for the next move we make. Or maybe I'll go spread the gospel to enough people in my area so they'll build one in Missoula. :)