Thank you, Linda! You Always Say It Better Than I Ever Could...

I met Linda during our college years while we were both attending BYU. We are both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love her commentary on life. Here is a recent post of hers, and I thank her for it!

Please and Thank You: Thank you, defenders of my faith: The Book of Mormon Musical  has been on Broadway for about a year and half. It's done some touring around the U.S., will have an extended ru...

A Laugh A Day

The only poem (besides Lazy Jane by Shel Silverstein) that Brett knows by heart. I think it is pure brilliance.

There once was a boy named Chris,
Who wanted to learn how to kiss.
So he enrolled in a class
With a cooperative lass,
And now he will never miss.

T. A. Werner, age 9

Celebrating Summer 2012

Brett's first Adobe Premiere project. I think he did a great job.

A Laugh A Day: No, That's Not Play-Doh...

For the past couple of weeks, Brett has been working very hard on his thesis at his office during the after-hours. For the kids, it means not seeing Papa much; or, in Isaiah's case, not at all, because of his early bedtime. For me, it means that I am on my own from 6:30 am to 9 pm. I should clarify that Brett spoils me terribly. His office is close enough to bike to and he is generally home by 5:30. When he gets home, he does a quick evaluation of my state of being and picks up the slack, whether that means playing with the kids for a second so I can finish dinner or popping some chicken nuggets in the microwave, feeding and bathing the kids, taking over the bedtime ritual and rubbing my feet when the imps have gone to bed. Despite not having him home as usual, I have to say that I have been doing really well. When I don't expect help, I usually end up not needing it. So far I can say that the house is clean enough, errands are completed, fridge and pantry have been kept stocked, laundry has been kept at bay, bellies have been kept full, and not too much crying on their part or craziness on mine. We even threw in trips to the library and Disney. Today was a pretty good day. I picked up the photos we ordered from Costco and got them on the walls, we taught Grandma Daisy how to use FaceTime, and the kids are in bed as I write this, no tantrums. Well, "where is the punchline?" you say. This is supposed to be a laugh a day, not this is how I survived the day, by not scheduling anything and just making sure the basics of life were met...a day. Well here it is.

Isaiah and Isla actually both finished dinner at the same time today (usually Isaiah is quick and cranky to get to bed while Isla pretends her vegetables can talk and takes forever to eat), so I thought I would throw them in the tub at the same time to get them off to bed quicker. Sounds sensible, but I should know that for me, it has always been easier to deal with them one at a time, Isaiah first since Isla is distractible. Well, they take a bath, great fun, I am drenched by their vigorous splashing. I get Isla out first, wrap her up and tell her to wait for me on the couch. She throws a mini tantrum because usually after baths we wrap her up and pretend she is a baby. I get Isaiah out, immediately he escapes and runs around the house in the buff. I am fine with that, I happen to think that all babies need to be aired out once a day, to feel what it is like to be free. I get Isla dressed, go to the hallway to pick out some books. And I see this:

Too graphic? Probably.
But why tell you when I can show you?

And so, if you forgot the title of the post, it is "No, That's Not Play-Doh..." I will give you two more guesses. I try to wipe Isaiah between the legs as he is running away from me, finally I scoop him up to the changing table and slap a diaper on him. Then I hear, thump, thump, thump coming from the hallway. If you have been to our new house, you know that when Isla walks or runs on the hardwood, it sounds like a stampede of baby rhinoceros. Rhinoceroses? Rhinoceri? Anyway, it went a little like this:




Me: ISLA DON'T STEP IN THE --
Isla: Wahh, what is that? (crying)
Me: poop.

She then does a furious stamping dance and spreads it in a neat little circle around her. Well, I finish putting on his diaper, leave him in the crib, he is screaming, I am screaming at Isla not to move, she is crying because everyone else is screaming, I wipe her feet, collect the poop, flush it, wash hands, finish putting them to bed, then lysol. I know I waited until the end to lysol but at least I washed my hands.

So yeah, these past two weeks have been fine. And even though I didn't have the foresight to put a diaper on him before I got Isla ready, I know that I am getting better at this mothering business because having him poop on the floor didn't even faze me. At least it wasn't on the rug.

A Laugh A Day: Faces

A Laugh A Day: Jedi and Associates

A Laugh A Day

This cracks me up. Get it? (Sorry, I had to.)

Because It's Fun

 We recently acquired a new, nicer camera and CS 5.5 to go with it. Since then, things have been both frustrating as I am learning to use the software as well as fabulous because I have been going through all our pictures and finding some great stuff. And now that I have joined the blogosphere (so weird, never thought I would), I have somewhere to display all the fun, old pictures I find! Here are some of Isla just before her first birthday, taken by Uncle Byron.

Turning 26

It was actually MY birthday even though it seems like Isaiah is the only one eating.

Brett and the kids made me cupcakes and sang happy birthday. We had no candles so we improvised by lighting toothpicks on fire. That night was the adult session of stake conference. We had no babysitter but Brett had to sing, so he went while I stayed home. I ended up watching Pretty Little Liars by myself. This may sound sort of pathetic but I thought it was great to sit around and watch TV by myself. I get so little alone time these days. When he got back I re-watched the episode with him. An easy, low stress, great birthday I have to say. The weekend after we went to Dave and Busters and then watched The Dark Knight Rises. Oh, and I bought my customary presents for myself and put Brett's name on them. He really is the best gift-giver. He (I) got me a key necklace that has a the month of August with a crystal on the 18th to mark our anniversary, and a dress from Shabby Apple. Susan gave me some funds to go toward quilting, so fun. 

I'd say a pretty great 26th birthday. I have a great husband and great kids, family and friends who love me, the true gospel in my life, and most of all, Facebook friends who said happy birthday (haha). A good place to be by age 26.

A Laugh A Day: Throwback, Isla Dancing to Bebot

I couldn't wait until Thursday.