Can you feel it?

The roaring boil of chicken breasts?

The scent of dough rising?

The printer buzzing out activities to occupy little fingers?

Can you feel it?

Ah, General Conference is in the air!

REMEMBER your cameras this weekend,
SPREAD the word about Project Semi-annual (especially you FB peeps since, well, you know- I can’t! In fact- be a dear and post this link on my wall- proxy FBing is the new rage!),

AND I will see you next week!

0000 0011

Saturday was Caleb’s birthday. He is three. Ask him and he will tell you.
Friday evening Mike supervised while Caleb cleaned his room. After Caleb went to bed, and after snores issued from under his pile of comforters, we blew up some balloons and placed them on the floor of his room. In the morning he woke up knowing that the day was special and he was ever so excited. He got Moose-made waffles for breakfast and got to watch Iron Giant until he had his fill (which is, by the way, 2.5 times).
He requested a special birthday dinner and out of all the meals I make he chose:

that’s right. Mac and Cheese from a box. And strawberries.
With grape soda.

He has a, uh, casual palette, you may say.

About a month ago Caleb got really into Cake Boss. So when I asked him what he wanted on his birthday cake and he replied saying, “I want a robot, and I EAT the robot.” I knew I had to step-up my game. Enter in fondant.
Super easy to make and so much fun! Think of play dough for grown-ups.
WHAT I DID: I sprayed down my stand mixer and pastry hooks with cooking spray, turned it on and emptied a jar of marshmallow fluff and about half a bag of powdered sugar (gradually) into the bowl and let the machine do all the work. After dough was formed I divided it then, using plastic (no latex, no powder) gloves, I kneaded in the food dye. Wrapped each ball in plastic wrap and threw them in the fridge to await use.
After I started to construct the robot, Mike wanted in on the fun, so he helped craft Caleb’s name and various parts of the bot.

Like I said it was so easy and the best part was we didn’t have to go to Hoboken!

Do you remember the kid with all the unusual or atypical toys? Not neat toys, just… weird?
That’s Caleb. This year he got from us: a rechargeable piggy flashlight, stack-able wooden robots, a latch board and some Sunday books.

His favorite? The flashlight, he has taken it to bed ever since.

Mike’s favorite?...

Things I love about Caleb in no particular order:
1) How when his hair is wet it looks like a hatchling’s feathers.
2) He asks me to read a book, then halfway through gets so excited that he takes over and starts telling me the story.
3) Says the same prayer morning, noon and night, seven days a week: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you. I say these in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
4) Is always committed to the pretense. Never breaks character… unless snacks are involved.
5) Would stay outside all day despite weather or other obligations.
6) Expresses genuine concern for others and tries to solve problems. Solutions of choice: sharing, hugs and hiding under tables.

An Interview with Caleb:
What is your favorite…
cereal? “I like the raisins” (Raisin Bran)
vegetable? “I eat the apples”
drink? “I like-aye the milk.”
toy? “I play the cars.”
car? I like school bus.
game? “The tractor.”
book? “Uh, Cola Bear, Cola Bear “ (Polar Bear, Polar Bear)
animal? “Cat in the Hat”
color? “Drawing dinosaurs!”
movie? “I watch Little Foot.”
song? “Twinkle Little Star with owl.”


What do you like about daddy? “Daddy loves Kay-cub, best friend!”
What do you like about mommy? “Uh, Kay-cub’s best friend!”
What do you like about Nate? “Yes… I like baby Nate.”
Caleb’s best friend? “Baby Nate is Caleb’s best friend.”
What do you like about nursery? “Fun at church!”

We love you, Mister Caleb!
You have filled our life with so much numminess!

The Lorax

Last Sunday brought warmer weather. After climbing down from the 4Runner, upon our arrival home, Caleb made a break for it and started doing laps around the house, thrilled to see grass again.

Here’s some pictures and video clips Mike captured of Caleb reconnecting with nature (and Beep Beep) after a long winter indoors.

(Spring cleaning the BeepBeep)

"Leeeeeeeeave-eeeeeeeeeeees!"


The Running of the Leaves.


Look what I can do! :)



With practice this kid is going to dominant the Easter Egg Hunt this year!



And where was I? Nate and I were indoors boiling artichokes for dinner :)
By the way, personal question, what do you dip your chokes in? I was raised on garlic melted-butter while Mike grew up in a mayo household. Discuss.

How is Spring coming along in your neck of the woods?

ps Gon't forget about Project Semi-annual!

Project Semi-annual

You didn’t forget did you?

You know, our little project?

So, Blogdom, charge your camera [or load it with film (geez, 1995 called and it wants its technology back. Honey, let me upgrade jah)] because Conference is upon us and I'm dying to see those pajamas you’ll be sporting! I introduce you to

PROJECT SEMI-ANNUAL.

Here’s the gist: take some pictures that reflect your Conference weekend, create an online album or blog post and share, please! Leave a comment on THIS (click for link) post. Invite others to join in the fun, but REMEMBER to tell friends to post back here (click for link) so others (okay, mostly me) can enjoy.
It’s like Project 365... but only four days a year. Easy, right?

So grab a logo and get the word out.
Let’s make this fun!

Project Semi-annual, Spring 2011

Diverse Conference experiences captured and shared.
(Probably the easiest way to invite someone into your home for Conference without the clean-up!)

Here’s the gist: take some pictures that reflect your Conference weekend, create an online album or blog post and share, please! Leave a comment on THIS post. Invite others to join in the fun, but REMEMBER TO tell friends to post back here so others (okay, mostly me) can enjoy.

"Granted" State

Some snapshots from NH's blessing day.

Thanks Erica for pictures! :)

MWM seeks R&R

It is a lot more common than you think.

You aren’t the first

or the last.

There’ll be a time in your married life, in your maternal life, when you will be separated from your husband and jointed nonstop to your children for days, weeks, semesters…
whether it is because of schooling, work time tables or business trips.

For us, each semester is a wild card. Michael only takes one class each semester, but he works full-time.
This semester he has school in the afternoon on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday. He stays in Cambridge after class to do coursework and doesn’t get home until 9:00 those nights. Tuesday and Thursday he gets home at 7:00. Every day he tries to be out the door by 7:00. Saturday morning he has correlation with the missionaries; afterwards he takes time to tend to the other aspects of his calling, and tries to squeeze in some chores by the end of the day.

Whew. I can’t help but wonder who you feel sorry for after reading that: Michael or me or the kids? All of us?

We manage.

I won’t say we thrive during these semesters, but we survive.
Here’s some things that have helped us, especially since we have a new addition to our family this semester.


Get Engaged
Not married to a schedule (more like a routine with guidelines really). You want to be in love with it, but able to break the commitment if things don’t work out. Prioritize.
My day is divided into three hour chunks right now because that’s (give or take) the duration between Nate’s feedings. I don’t really need to schedule Nate’s day because he only does four things: eat, sleep, get changed, and be alert for an hour or two. These things I can work around. Caleb, on the other hand, has been rigid since birth. After Mike leaves at 7:00. Caleb plays by himself until I get Nate back to sleep then I spend quality time with Caleb no matter how small the quantity (some days he needs more of me, some days less). We read, build forts, sing songs, make collages, or he keeps me company while I do chores like laundry or cooking. Around 10:00 it is snack time. 11:30 lunch. 1:00-3:00 is “quiet time” which has been resulting in a nap recently for all three of us (most excellent). 5:00 dinner. 7:00 bed. Times are subject to change due to appointments, adventures, errands, illness, growth spurts and just plain grumpiness.


Family, isn’t it about time?
I’m pretty sure you haven’t seen this Homefront commercial before: where the mother and newborn get up by 5:00, the husband has his alarm set to 5:30, the toddler hobbles out of bed around 6:00. They get ready, eat breakfast, make lunches, read scriptures (most days) and have group family prayer. That’s our hour or so we get in the mornings together before Mike leaves for the day. It is strict because otherwise we don’t see each other until Saturday. We do group family prayer (when each family member gets to offer a prayer) because it allows us to come together and express gratitude, our concerns and love for each other. Find the time available as a family and emphasize it.
Here’s the motherload of all those fun commercials by the way (my favorite has always been “On Lookers”)
http://www.mormon.org/homefront/0,15902,3865-1,00.html

Every Day Romance
Show your husband that out of sight doesn't mean out of mind. I get my ideas from Love, Actually. Yesterday I wrote a note on our shower wall with dry erase markers: You are the bubbles to my soap! You get the idea. ;)

Planned Meals (of course)
One less thing I have to worry about.

Busy List
Make a list of activities you and the kids can do in times of antsy-ness. Here’s my list:

Fellow Suffer-gette
Get to know other women, not just women your age or with children the same age as yours, but from all walks of life. There’s an unwritten code in motherhood, you help the n00bs out. Whatever they may be new at. Whether it’s being a new mom or juggling two kids at the grocery store. Different women will be able to aid and enrich you in different ways.

So, yeah, those are the things working for us.
What has worked for you?
Please share and help a sister out! :)