Here's my best excuse for not blogging lately

I know, will I ever stop complaining about no dishwasher?

Probably not.

New blogs to come!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The boys and I took an impromptu trip into the city on Saturday to see the Chicago River dyed green. We wanted to see if the city of Chicago could do any better than we did with our dye job.














Um, they did. We ran from home to the train station and barely made it. When we got off of the train we found ourselves on a busy Michigan Avenue, full of St. Patrick's Day die-hards. I looked pretty out of place as I pushed my two boys through it all, but I didn't feel out of place. We got to the bridge and saw that green river. Really and truly green.














Green greenie green green!




























I had thrown some snacks in my bag before we left and tried to pass those off as a "picnic" dinner. Everything sounds better to Jacob if it's couched in a picnic. Jacob ate his up and then told me that when we got home we'd have real dinner and popcorn. Hmmm.




























After a little while we crossed the river again to get back to the train station.














And enjoyed the view below and the view above.














As I walked, I remembered (here comes the introspection) the first time I ever crossed a bridge over the Chicago River four and a half years ago. It was an early fall night and looked like this:



Matt was traveling for work and was able to bring me along. He had spent all day working. I had spent all day wandering the Art Institute and the surrounding streets. While I wandered I started to feel hungry, tired, and nauseated. By the time Matt got back I was feeling yucky. A new yucky. We walked north to a restaurant that served the very best steak I think I've ever had. But I couldn't enjoy it. Then we came back to the hotel to sleep in the very best bed I've ever slept in. Then we came home to find out I was pregnant with Jacob.

I can't believe that only four years have passed since then. I would never have dreamed that four years later Matt and I would move our two young sons to this big city. Or that we'd even have two sons. And I never, ever, ever would have imagined myself capable of an outing like the one we were on.

Several years before I moved to New Jersey (for my mission) I drove through it a few times and roundly criticized it. I think the phrase, "feast your eyes people, because this is the last time we have to see New Jersey!" escaped my lips. Yet I lived there and loved it.

Several years before I moved to Atlanta I was completely certain that my mission call would be to Atlanta, Georgia. Certain. So New Jersey came as an even bigger shock! I ended up in Atlanta later than I'd thought and for a different kind of mission, but it turned into the truest of homes.

And now again, several years before moving to Chicago I had this experience that brought the city onto my radar. I felt out of place and intimidated on my trip back then. I felt a conviction that I was not made for that life. Yet here we are. And it's happening. It's becoming home.

It's cool.

As if my last post didn't make this perfectly clear: Nico is a Thomas fan

From top














to bottom.














He saw these underwear and started alternately saying "wear" and "choo choo".

How easy to please. (Don't tell Grandma Jan that I just slipped them on over his diaper and onesie.)

For the Thomas Lover in your home

Thomas the Tank Engine

May I suggest track 3 for your especial enjoyment? It's our favorite.

Now, go dance!

There's also a remix of the Thomas anthem and a 50 cent song.

I can't vouch for content (I'm just scared it might be dirty) but the concept deserves a listen to the first bit.

Thomas vs 50 Cent

Winter's Waning

We still have a long way to go (according to the locals around here) but we've had a lovely reprieve and we feel that the absolute worst is probably behind us.

A big finding of our winter here is that our boys love to wear boots. Not their boots. Those are pristine and untouched. I'm talkin' 'bout my boots.

And there's just not much cuter.

Especially with red boxer briefs.

Disclaimer: Very grainy pictures ahead.


















Or with this smooshy face.

Church

This year marks my spiritual rebirth. That's right, Nico's in nursery at church! No more toting him to my classes. No more parceling out the toys and snacks carefully so as not to run out by the last hour of church. Just quiet Relief Society and Sunday School meetings followed by an uneventful Sacrament Meeting. And since our new ward has so many rowdy kids and also is very appropriate snacks friendly in the chapel...well, you can imagine how free I feel.

This freedom hasn't come easily. January was pretty rough. Jacob wanted to go back to nursery, because really, who would want to leave nursery? Toys, treats, a 5 minute lesson; what's not to love? So he wanted us to stay with him in class or to just sit in the hall. Nicholas was weepy and edgy throughout nursery. Missing his angel mother, he was. And once other parents came to pick their kids up he pretty much lost it. And when Nico loses it it's LOST. We were feeling like Sunday success was still a long way off.

Slowly Nicholas has adjusted, and, though still not sold on the idea, he is reasonably happy in nursery. Again, the food and toys are very, very persuasive.

But Jacob...

Then our friend Eryn helped give me the guts (and idea) to be tough with Jacob. Real tough.

Two Sundays ago Jacob was fighting going to Sunbeams yet again. He wanted Matt to take him because Matt is a (really cute) pushover. J.J. knows I can play hardball. So I took him.

He immediately began his fight. So, I gave him a choice:

You can either go to Sunbeams without mommy or we can stand outside with no coats.

He immediately chose going outside. This particular Sunday he was wearing a short sleeved golf shirt (because he peeled his sweater off as soon as he got his coat off). I was wearing a cute and warm turtle neck sweater.

Game on.

We stood outside for about 2 minutes. It was about 25 degrees outside. (Do you still think I'm a good mother?) He began to pump his fists and grunt. Hardy har. I asked him, very respectfully mind you, if he wanted to make another choice. He grunted again and pointed at the building.

"OOooooh, you want to go to class? Oh, OK baby. Let's go."

And he hasn't looked back since.

Just about everyone who serves in the Primary has come up to me with stars in their eyes to tell me how Jacob is a changed man (this has been 2 Sundays of success). It feels great to tell them how I punished him with weather. Let's hope this heat waves leaves by Sunday!

Here are my boys on their first days of Sunbeams and Nursery.


















Righteous!

I can't believe I'm doing this. A GIVE-AY-WAY?

My sister, then my cousin, then my other cousin, then my sister-in-law all posted this within a few days. I felt conflicted about it because I feel like my creative juices are pretty much congealed right now, but I like gifts! Dern the fine print of tag-dom! What's a girl to do.

I grappled with it all day and finally submitted to the allure of gifts made by some very talented people.

I have brainstormed and feel confident that my offerings will be rock star items. Nothing flashy like a rock star, but cool and useful. Because I feel that rockers are hard core AND useful.

So, despite my concerns, I give you...THE TAG.

Here are the tagging instructions: The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.

2- What I create will be just for you.

3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while)

4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch?

Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

Let me say that I won't be making anything strange, but that it very well might take me a year to get it to you.

I recognize that this evil catch might shoo some of the faint hearted away, but really, no biggie. It's just one less awesome thing I will create. The universe's loss.

And yours.