Morning Practice

First Position

Question: Is it Gasoline or Vasoline, Mommy?

Answer: Vasoline, honey.

(Asked every time I dab Vasoline on his dry cheeks. You can guess which cheeks...)

Do you ever dress your kids up like dancers and film a Beyonce video?

I do.



Here's the original video. For a reference point. I know there's a lot of rump shakin' and other such things...especially to invite my young boys to imitate...but it also really increases the humor of the thing. (Usually I don't even want Jacob to watch Arthur because I think it's too worldly--& annoying.) So enjoy my moral lapse with me! My mom's comment about the video is my favorite, "Man, those girls have adequate booties. (That does mean rear ends doesn't it?)".

This "project" was the brainchild of a friend of a friend. Apparently (I'm not hip with the young kids) this Beyonce video is the subject of extensive commentary, spoofs and ridicule. So, this friend asked that all of her friends make their own versions of the video as a birthday gift to her. Mardee told me that Jacob and Nicholas were just the dancers that her little Beyonce (Cadence) needed.

We had so much fun preparing and filming this little beauty. I really got in touch with my video making roots. Carly and I spent about half of our time together making movies when we were in junior high and high school. Easily half. Maybe 2/3. Good times however much time it was. So, it was like those days but with kids and husbands and Beyonce and iMovie.

Thanks to Mardee and to her friend Nor for this wonderful challenge. And now my desire for Jacob and Cadence to at least date later in life has increased 100 fold. Wouldn't it be nice to have this playing in a quiet spot at their wedding reception?

Oh, and do you like the surprise dancers?

To Make a Cookie

I don't know why I haven't blogged lately. Lost the vision? Tired? Busy doing dishes? Whatever it is, I am trying to edge my way back. I was just flipping through the incredible backlog of wonderful blog-worthy moments and this little series caught my eye.

These were taken when Grandma Jan, Natalie & Jackson were in Chicago. Grandma Jan is all about two things: photo ops and new experiences. So the making of sugar cookies was a must. These pictures just capture Nico for me and have to be shared. Thank you Grandma for making these moments happen.

He's observant, up for fun, a tad bit gullible, intent on his work and generally sweet, sweet, sweet. To Nico!































The first of many attempts at the dough.













See what I mean by gullible?













Fool me twice...













I love his calm, inquisitive demeanor as Grandma hands him the sprinkles. What delicacy. What grace. What refinement.













This sprinkling picture makes my heart jump for joy. Everything about it. I can almost hear his little mind saying, "shake, shake, shake".





































To the cookie...and to Nico! (The boogers really add a lot.)

A boy becomes a bigger boy

Hair. Long hair.













I miss that summery mop.













But the new 'do is growing on me.

Spelling Lessons

Jacob is the perfect little doorman. He holds the elevator door for you. He knows what button to push. He asks other elevator riders "What number you going to?" with an inquisitive point. He's a professional. (That happens when you live on the 8th floor.) The other day we were at IKEA and the up/down buttons were labeled "UP" and "DOWN". He pushed up and then said:

"Look Mommy, P-U spells 'up'!"

What an observant child.

I've been saving something

In November we had a photo shoot with Kelly McCaleb*. I am so grateful we have these pictures to document this unique time in our family's history. Unfortunately we didn't have a husband in attendance among us...but still the pictures are as close to perfection as pictures without husbands can be.

3 out of 4 smiles ain't bad.
















































Maddie's face. Gideon's smile. Jacob's squirm. Nico's ear plug. I love it all.


































































Kelly's direction here was, "Pretend that you push Jacob on antique tricycles down country lanes (with Nicholas on your hip) all of the time." How did I do?


















I love kiddos looking at each other. Don't I look like an everliving giant? Who knew four inches could make such a difference! And yes, that's drool on my shoulder.













I love everything about Jacob in this picture. What an awesome full-body lean.




































Look at these cuties!













And my favorite picture of the lot...I think...has to be this one. My only regret is that Nicholas looks totally bummed to be there. But, trust me, no one is sad to be with my momma. And isn't she exceptionally pretty?



















*Kelly and I were missionaries in New Jersey together a million years ago. We randomly found each other after our missions at BYU and shortly thereafter lost touch. The blog world helped us find each other again.

She's an amazing person. She was pretty much the gold standard on our mission and really helped teach me about the work we did. Needless to say, such excellence (that's for you Kelly) on her mission has continued. She has a lovely Etsy shop and is (as I'm sure you've seen) a gifted photographer.

Thank you so much Kelly!