Finances and Organization

Katie is looking so grown up lately. Especially with this cute hat on. These are just some pictures I took while we were trying on her different hats. My head held most of the unused hats when Katie wasn't using them.

Ryan wrecked on his scooter Friday night (the 12th). Nothing too bad, but it kinda scared me. Luckily, I saw him walking around, and he seemed fine, maybe a little tired, and THEN he told me he had crashed. If I had just gotten a call about it, I probably would have freaked out. Hard to imagine, I'm sure. :) So, his wrist is sprained, and he has some bruises and scrapes. The bike looks worse than he does. The back basket thing is cracked, and there are scratches all down the side of the scooter. Oh well. At least it is all cosmetic. Here are some pictures.






I am attending a Organization class called House of Order. Marie C. Ricks is the presenter, and I'm really enjoying it. She goes a little overboard, at least with some things that I wouldn't do, but she has lots of great ideas. It can be a little overwhelming if I think of all the stuff that I want to reorganize, but I'm trying to take it slow. It is just exciting to think of having a house that can be very organized, and having my life feel more organized, as a result. My favorite part is just listening to her talk. She is very motivating, and brings her religion into it. She frequently tells us how we need to have a "House of Order" so the Spirit can dwell in our homes, and in our hearts.

Ryan and I are also attending a "Financial Peace University" class. Ryan's work is sponsoring it, and it is 13 weeks long! Dave Ramsey is the author, and we watch DVD's of his presentation. He is funny, and has lots of good advice. Again, it is a lot of common sense, but it is good to be reminded. Ryan and I appreciate how he slips other advice in there also. He has good morals, and incorporates that into his presentation. "Don't lie! Always tell the truth" was the last one we noticed.

I am also jogging/walking 3 days a week with my friend Rebecca, and sometimes my sister-in-law (also friend) Naomi. Naomi sprained her ankle, so she is taking a break at the moment. We are on the program called Couch-To-5K Run Program. The idea is that you can get from no activity to running a 5K in 9 weeks. I really enjoy it. We start at 6:00 AM so we don't have to bring kids. It really starts my day off well. Ryan, Katie, and I all eat breakfast together, I have energy throughout the day, and my day starts 2 hours earlier than usual, so I get more done.
This added to the Belly Dancing class I take on Tuesdays and Thursdays keeps me pretty busy. I really enjoy it all though. I get more done, the more I have to do.



Katie was actually riding the scooter with Ryan's help, but I didn't grab the camera fast enough. Ryan was trying to get her back on at this point.



Apparently Katie wasn't too excited to have someone ELSE slide down the slide.



This is Rebekah, Katie, and Hannah. Rebekah and Hannah are Dennis and Naomi's daughters, and they live across the street, so we play with them alot.

Snow!

It isn't even October yet, and we got snow. And not just a wimpy skiff either. Okay, it wasn't a whole lot, but still! The flakes were HUGE, and there is quite a bit on the ground.

Ryan wanted to show Katie the snow, so we got her all bundled up.

See? The flakes are big. It was pretty amazing.

I guess she likes it. It took her a little while, but it seems like she was having fun out there. Luckily, I had to stay inside so the camera (yeah, the camera, uh huh) didn't get wet.

Not much else to report now. I just look at these pictures and think how incredibly blessed I am. I love Ryan and Katie so much. I had no idea my life could be so fulfilling.

Tickling

Here are some pictures from September 8th, when Ryan, Katie and I went to a Carnival that Ryan's group was helping support (for more info, and pictures, click on Ryan's Blog. Some of the pictures are the same as on his blog, but seriously, how can you get tired of looking at this beautiful girl?

Katie is so much fun right now. She loves to lean back against the couch, with her head resting on the cushion, and just wait. I'll come and "eat" her stomach, and she just laughs and laughs. And then, she starts it all over again. She is also turning in circles repeatedly. She gets a little dizzy, and stumbles when she tries to walk, and it is so cute.
She knows exactly what she wants, and can usually portray what that is. Either by pointing and "huh?", or if I'm not smart enough to get that, we try playing the yes or no game. "Drink? Raisins? Crackers? Tomato? Brownie?" etc. I think she sometimes is trying to say "this?" when she is asking for something. I'm sure she assumes it is the name of whatever she wants, since I ask "this?" while pointing at most objects. She is also mumbling a phrase that Ryan and I want to believe is "Thanks Dad", but it doesn't seem to be very clear to anyone else. She seems to be "saying" more and more these days. I know that not many people would understand her, but I think Ryan and I (and maybe her grandparents) can figure it out most of the time.
So, the other day (okay, maybe it was more like a month ago, since that is when I actually started this post) Katie was at my parent's house. Evidently she tried to escape, and got the front door open! Their front door handle on the inside is a lever type, so you pull down to open the door. There was also a breeze that might have pushed the door open, but still! Unfortunately ALL the doors that lead outside at my house are the lever type handles. My life is going to get sooo much more interesting.
Also, for a while there, I was thinking of trying to start potty training Katie. I know, it is early, but I was trying to be positive. Anyways, I was getting her ready for a bath, so she didn't have any clothes on, and she was standing by the toilet. We had been discussing for a couple of days "Katie's potty" and "Mommy's potty" in the hopes that she would become familiar with the objects. Well, she patted "Mommy's potty", and while standing there, she proceeded to go to the bathroom. After I got the mess all cleaned up (thankfully I had taken the rug out earlier that week) I started hoping that it meant she was ready, but alas, she screams and looks terrified anytime she is place on either potty. Needless to say, I don't want to scare her from the idea, so we have put the potty away, and we will try in a week or so.

Right now some of her favorite things to do are: go outside, pull papers off of Mommy's desk, try to type and use the mouse on Mommy's computer, pull cooking utensils out of their drawers, make any sort of disorder out of the order I crave, get tickled, listen for and look at dogs or cats, and go outside to see her cousins next door. The highlights of the day are when Daddy comes home for lunch and dinner.

Life is great, and we are having lots of fun.

Washington DC trip, part 2

Friday night I got to spend time with Hillary Kew and her family. Steve (her dad)and Terry (her mom) picked Megan (her sister) and I (her friend) up at the Baltimore Airport. We went straight to the rehearsal dinner, where we had Chinese and got to meet both sides of the family. We socialized, took pictures, and then headed to WalMart to get some last minute items. (Just the Kew family and I) This is when I got to spend the most time with Hillary. We started talking in the car as if we had never stopped. That is the beauty of our relationship. We don't keep in touch very well, as neither one is very good at it. But, we can immediately start talking about in-depth stuff that I don't talk to most people about. Of course, talking to her family, I didn't really know she had moved to another apartment, and she didn't really know how old Katie was, but we are still very good friends.




We went to WalMart to get some lunch stuff to eat after the Temple ceremony, and stuff for Hillary and Rick's honeymoon to Costa Rica. (mosquito spray, etc.) As we were checking out, Steve commented that "This is what hell must be like. Stuck in a WalMart store, wandering around endlessly, and then waiting in line for the slowest checker in the store." By then, we all agreed.

After being in WalMart for a VERY long time, (I found some Star Wars toys for Ryan, so the trip wasn't a total loss, from his point of view. :) )we finally checked out and headed to the hotel.

I was so grateful that they let me be involved, and they let me stay in their hotel room for the night. They were so generous. Steve spent the night in his son and daughter-in-law's room so I could share the room with Terry, Megan, and Hillary. I actually got to spend some time with Hillary because of this arrangement, whereas at a wedding/reception, you only get to talk to them for a moment, usually.

Saturday morning was the Wedding Ceremony. The ceremony was wonderful and beautiful. Hillary and Rick look so happy together. The temple and the grounds are a beautiful thing. I wandered around the temple grounds, and looked at the Visitor's Center while the Family Pictures were being taken. The Visitor's Center had a room that had lots of photos in it. They were fun to look at. There were all sorts of themes, and most of them had a scripture or thought that went with it.







I spent more time with the Kews, and then we went to the reception. It was in an old colonial-style building on St John's College campus in Annapolis. The room was gorgeous, with all sorts of woodwork and huge windows. Such a fancy reception. (Or fancy for small-town-Utah-girl. I'm used to receptions in cultural halls.) They had a buffet table with hors d'oeuvres, then dinner, then dancing, and cake, and cookies.



I think it is one of the most fun receptions I have been to in a while. Plus, Hillary's friends were gracious enough to include me in their table and talking, so I didn't feel all alone. One such friend let me ride home with her and her sister, so Alisha and Matthew didn't have to make an extra trip.

What a fabulous experience. I would not have been able to go, without the generosity of Alisha, Matthew, Steve, Terry, Megan, and Hillary, as well as some friends of Hillary. Also, on the home front, Ryan, Irma, Jerry, Mom, Dad, and Amanda helped out so much with Katie. I am so grateful for their help and love. Thanks again for making this trip so absolutely wonderful!

Washington DC trip, part 1

(I started to write this post, and it was really, really long, so I've broken it up a little. Now it is just really long. This is the only record I'm keeping of my life, so it probably has all sorts of boring parts in it. Sorry. :) )

I was lucky enough to be able to go to Washington D.C./Arlington/Annapolis for 6 days. (Aug 9-14) My sister and her husband, Alisha and Matthew, were fabulously kind and let me stay in their condo for most of the trip. They were perfect hosts, as they let me sleep in, watch TV, use the internet, gave me breakfast, and basically made me feel at home as much as possible.

The time I spent away from Katie seemed so long, and it was harder on me than her. I was very happy to come home to her. (oh, and Ryan) :)

Here is a shortened run-down of the trip. I hope you can stay awake. I included pictures, so it might help.

(On a side note) As I was packing Thursday night, (which I had put off until 10:00 PM the night before I needed to get up at 4:00 AM) I found myself wanting to clean out my hairbrush. Now, it hadn't been cleaned for a while, and it would have been fine without a cleaning for another while, but it seemed vitally important at that moment to take 1/2 hour to clean all the hair and junk that collects in it. Don't ask me why.

I had a long layover in Denver, but I was lucky enough to be able to wander around the whole airport a couple of times. The funny part is that when I'm walking, I tend to walk fast, and with a purpose. So, I was really tired after speed walking for a couple of hours. (Of course, that was interspersed with stopping to look at things, but mostly it was restaurants, and people think you are weird if you stop and stare at them while they are eating.) Alisha and Matthew picked me up at the DC airport 2 hours AFTER I was supposed to be there. The flight was delayed because of weather. Alisha had made yummy chimichangas for dinner, so we just relaxed that night. We walked around a little on Friday morning, saw where Matthew works, and had lunch with Matthew's parents, who were also visiting.





Alisha and I walked over to the Iwo Jima monument, which is really close to her apartment, as is the Arlington Cemetery. I had no idea the Iwo Jima monument was so large. I guess seeing things in person really makes an impression on you. Strange. The cemetery was very beautiful. We didn't actually go into the cemetery, but rather stood on a stone wall looking over it. The 4 foot drop deterred myself and my pregnant sister from further exploring the area.
Then, the car that Alisha and Matthew had thoughtfully arranged to take me to Baltimore arrived. I must say I was a little taken back when the driver plunged directly into religious and moral conversation. I thought those topics were not normally brought up because of their ability to upset other's emotions. Oh well. It made the trip interesting. I must have looked like quite the floozy in my short (covering my knees) skirt and blonde hair. :) The driver, throughout the hour long drive, informed me that he was Muslim, and that it was important to get married and love your husband, and stuff that I could agree with easily enough. I tried not to comment if I didn't agree. I didn't want to get in a fight with this guy.


(Skipping Friday night and Saturday, as they are on part 2)

Sunday was nice and relaxing. Once again, I was able to sleep in, and then we leisurely got ready for church. We were able to look at some pretty houses that are by the church building on the way to and from church. We then had a nice afternoon, wandering around the city, eating dinner, and having pleasant talks.
Monday I was left to fend for myself, as Alisha and Matthew both had to work. I took my time leaving, but then I got on the Metro (and off) at the all right stops, which I was very proud of. Then I walked to the World War 2 memorial. I also saw the Washington Monument, but just because you have to walk past it to get to the WWII memorial.



I really liked the WWII memorial. It was very pretty, and open. Lots of water, and it had each state's name on a monument by itself. (The tall columns all around are the ones with the state names on them.)
It was really hot, so I walked to the Sculpture Garden, and then went to the Smithsonian Museums of Art (East and West), where I spent the rest of the day.


This was on the way to the Sculpture Garden. I was walking along, and wanted to have a snack. I saw a bench by the sidewalk so I sat down, and realized this cute little gazebo was right there. I don't know what it is, or why it is there, but it just really struck a chord with me. I felt very close to it. Maybe because it was out of place, or because it is an attractive building. I don't know. I just REALLY liked it.



In the center of the Sculpture Garden, there is a pool, surrounded by these trees, and beautiful planters with flowers cascading out of them. I thought the planters were just gorgeous, so I took a picture of them. The funny thing is, as I was doing so, a couple walked by, and the girl told the guy, "Hmmm, I don't think I've ever seen those there before now."



This sculpture reminded me so much of the game Qbert that my brothers used to play. Just color the squares, and put a little hopping animal on it, and you've got the idea.

I really enjoyed the Museums. I liked the West wing, because it was my type of art. You know, landscapes, and romantic poses, and large canvases full of color. Art like that is really interesting for me to study. I love the colors, and the detail. Here are a couple that I really enjoyed.



This is called "The River of Light" by Frederic Edwin Church. I loved the detail and just the beauty that is portrayed in this painting. I wanted to buy a small reproduction of it for a memory, but after seeing the real thing, the 3X5 card just isn't the same.



This one is "Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon" by John Martin. The detail that I loved in this one is not visible on a smaller scale. The exquisiteness of the people is just amazing, and there are ALOT of people on this canvas. I also really liked the sky on this one.

I also really enjoyed a painter named Thomas Cole. His paintings seemed to portray stories. He has 4 paintings called "The Voyage of Life". They go through Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old Age. The themes are very similar, which I appreciated.

After I had exhausted the West wing, I went to the East, which was radically different, but still very interesting. This side was more Modern, with some of those radical canvases that are just paint splatters, or crayon scribbles all over the wall. These are some that I have a hard time visualizing as art. I don't understand the uniqueness of a red square on a white canvas. It just doesn't appeal to me.



I did enjoy the mobiles, and sculptures they had there. I liked how it was open and light, where the West side was a bunch of small rooms that were easy to get lost in, with not a whole lot of light (because it can cause fading and damage to the paintings). I was completely exhausted by the time I met Alisha at her work. We went home and had dinner at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It was really yummy.

Then it was time to go. I exercised with Alisha, packed, and then flew to Denver, where I had the enjoyable experience of another long layover. This one wasn't as bad though, because it was shorter, and it was almost over. The long flight was behind me already. However, there was rain in Denver, so they let us board, then made us wait for an hour and a half until it stopped raining. I talked to my neighbors and worked on some Fill-In puzzles though, and it wasn't bad. I was so excited to see Ryan! I don't think I let go of him the entire time we were in the airport. I just wanted to touch him and relish the fact that I was home. Then, we really did get home, and we woke up Katie, and she didn't even act like I had been gone. She just wanted a drink, and to go back to bed. But the next morning she was laughing and giggling about everything. It was so cute.