Disneyland, Day 1

We were able to get a somewhat decent night's sleep. Since we got to bed late, the kids slept till Joseph woke everyone up a little before 6 (California time). The early morning worked out well because we were able to choose one day to get into the park at 8 am-- an hour earlier than 'normal' park hours. We got to the gates about 7:40, and the gates opened at 7:50. The lines weren't too long to get into the park, and we didn't wait too long. A good start to the day!

We went to Fanasyland to start out with. We were able to fly in the air with Dumbo, go on Alice's adventure in Wonderland, spin on the Teacups, fly in a Pirate ship with Peter Pan, and float through "It's a Small World" all before 10:30 in the morning. It was great! Then we saw a sign for a visit with a princess, and stood in line for way too long before deciding that the kids were not going to have enough fun seeing a princess to justify waiting in line for an hour or more. So we got out and went on a couple more rides before heading back to the hotel for lunch and rest time.

While Joseph napped, Jack took Rebecca back to the park for some special time together. Rebecca rode her first roller coaster, the Matterhorn Bobsleds. She thought it was fun, but the seat belt was too tight, and she didn't like that it hurt her tummy. They were also able to go through the home of the future, ride the cars, and do the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. While Jack and Rebecca waited for us to join them, Goofy came out and walked hand-in-hand with Rebecca for a few minutes. She thought it was pretty neat.

After we were all back together again, we went to California Adventure to watch the Pixar Parade. The costumes were amazing and the dancing was great. I was impressed by it. Then off to dinner at Red Rocket's Pizza Port. Then we watched the Honey I Shrunk the Audience performance and finished off the night by riding the Finding Nemo Submarine. The kids were all totally beat by the time we left the park.

I had a fun time as well. I was amazed at the puppets, props, and all the equipment they have to make everything move in sync and seem real. It has also been fun to see the kids' excitement at everything. They have all really enjoyed the trip so far, and have been very well behaved!

California

We made it! Here we are in California. We all survived the trip, and I think everyone enjoyed at least part of our first day of family vacation.

The girls were excited with everything having to do with flying on an airplane. Well, Rebecca complained several times about having to wait. And then Miriam said she was all done waiting (but didn't like Dad's suggestion to start walking). When we got on the shuttle bus to go from the parking lot to the airport, the girls loved all the bouncing. It was like the first amusement park ride of the trip! Once we got to the airport, Miriam was like the energizer bunny-- bouncing all over the place. She was so excited to look out the window at the airplane, look at all the people, and stare at the poor woman from the last flight being taken away on a stretcher.

Rebecca was the calm, cool older sister. She has informed Miriam several times in the last week that she has been on an airplane before, and Miriam hasn't. (Of course, the last time Rebecca flew she was under two, so I'm sure she has a lot of memories of the experience!) Joseph was just tired because it was halfway through nap time before the flight took off!

Once we got on the plane, Rebecca was amazed at how many people got on the plane after us, and how long it took to get going. She liked flying, except how it "tickled her tummy". Miriam was so engrossed in watching 3 Diego episodes she didn't seem to notice flying. Joseph finally went to sleep in Dad's arms.

I have had a little bit of an upset stomach the past couple days, and that combined with flying made me consider locating the bag in the seat pocket in front of me. I was glad when we finally got off the plane!

We made it to our cute hotel and admired all the palm trees (I think) around. The girls insisted on going swimming after dinner, even though the sun was going down. The pool was heated, but that doesn't make up for the chilly evening air. After warm baths in our room, everyone was able to calm down and go to sleep. Day one of our vacation was a success! New experiences and lots of fun.

Happy Birthday, Miriam!

Miriam turned 5 years old today. She was so excited for her birthday party. She started asking if the friends were almost here at about 8 am. So we had to distract her until 9:30 when the party started! (Good thing it wasn't an afternoon party!)

Miriam's friends Katelyn, Anna, Noah, and Shaya came to the party. We did a Dora the Explorer theme. To start out, we decorated backpacks to carry like Dora. Then everyone got a map to tell us how to get to Dora and the fiesta. First, we went through the library. We had to find the missing books and read a story. Then everyone got a bookmark to put in their backpack. Next, we had to go over the narrow bridge. The bridge led right to the tiny farm. But all the farm animals were stuck in balloons! So everyone had to pop a balloon to free the animals. Then we had to find the beach balls under the parachute. Finally, we made it to the pin-the-bracelet-on-Dora poster and the Dora pinata. We finished off with everyone decorating their own cupcake and opening presents. Everyone seemed to have a fun time.

After lunch we had Miriam open her presents from the family. She liked all the toys she got throughout the day so much that she didn't want to go outside with Dad to ride her new bike! It was okay, though, because Jack was able to work with Rebecca (and her bike) and Rebecca is riding without help now!!! Then Miriam decided to go outside and had lots of fun riding her new Dora bike. She discovered that when she wants to stop, she just has to run into a snow drift.

Miriam is such a sweet girl. She is a joy in my life. She makes me laugh. I am so grateful to have her!

Snow Day

Since the wind stopped blowing and the sun came out, it was actually nice enough for the kids to go out and play in the snow for a little while this morning. They also 'helped' Jack shovel the driveway again.

I am not a fan of winter sports. I don't understand the draw of something like skiing where you deliberately go out in the cold weather and stay out there all day. My idea of a nice winter day is sitting inside with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate! However, I managed to be the one to get hit in the face with a snowball. We immediately had a discussion on how this was not a good idea.

We stayed out until Rebecca lost her snow boot inside the mountain snow pile. Miriam had been out long enough, too, but Joseph didn't want to come in. Jack finished shoveling and dragged in our reluctant boy.

The Perfect Storm

This week is crazy. Between preparing for vacation, planning a birthday party, teaching Young Women's on Sunday and doing the midweek activity, visiting teaching, parent-teacher conferences... it has been a little stressful for me! I went beyond just making a list of what needed to be done-- I made a list on each day of the calendar so I wouldn't forget something and get caught Friday with 20 things left to do!

The weatherman has been forecasting snow for today for about a week now. Yesterday morning I watched the weather and it said 5-8 inches of snow. A good snowstorm, but nothing to cancel plans. Then last night Jack saw that the forecast had been altered to 8-16 inches with blizzard conditions. Well, that changes things! We got a call from the school district at 6 this morning informing us school was cancelled, and then another this evening saying it was cancelled tomorrow as well. What a blessing!

This snowstorm couldn't be more perfect for me. I didn't have to go to Parent-Teacher Conferences this afternoon. Visiting Teaching tomorrow is cancelled. I don't have to stress about getting to the store-- it's not going to happen! (I just need the stuff to make cream filling for the cupcakes for Miriam's birthday, and, as Jack said, the kids don't care!) I was able to get the house cleaned, some birthday preparations done and some responsibilities for church done today. Rebecca even told me she was glad she was staying home tomorrow so she could help get ready for Miriam's party.

And, to top it all off, the perfect storm should move on through tomorrow, leaving the weather Saturday in the upper 40's for the birthday party!

I'd like to thank Jack for his hard work in removing the snow from my blessing of a snowstorm from the driveway. I think he was out there shoveling for an hour and a half!

The girls braved the snow for about 5 minutes-- that's all mom would allow. They had fun even though it was snowing and the wind was really blowing!

Multifunctional Devices

If you watch Food Network, you are probably familiar with Alton Brown. Alton is a hilarious food scientist who tells you scientifically about the best methods of food preparation. One of his big hang-ups is not wanting any kitchen tools that only have one use. Well, I think Miriam has been taking lessons from him! Here are some of her inventive uses of items that perhaps you thought only had one function.

• Child Safety Scissors: First off, the only thing that is safe from them is small fingers and toes. Everything else is fair game. But normally you would consider them a good tool for cutting shapes from paper. Well, Miriam discovered that they are also good for cutting shapes out of the tablecloth. At least it was the $5 vinyl kind from Wal-Mart!
• Peanut Butter: One normally thinks of peanut butter as a food item consumed as a sandwich, on waffles or pancakes, or even as a dip for apples or bananas. Perhaps it also works as a way to remove gum from hair. Well, Miriam thought it would also work well as hand and foot lotion. With all the oil in it, I'm sure it would moisturize the skin nicely, but to remove everything else, a bath was necessary. Luckily, it washed off the chair fairly easily.
• Toothbrush and Liquid Hand Soap: The toothbrush's function is self-explanatory-- to brush your teeth. Liquid hand soap is useful for removing dirt and germs from your hands. Well, Miriam discovered that when you put the soap on the toothbrush like you would toothpaste and then scrub a dirty toy, the toy will come clean. However, the next time you brush your teeth, the experience is less than pleasant.
• Adjustable Waistband: Since my children are so skinny, I search the stores for the pants that are sold in slim sizes with the adjustable elastic waistband in them to make them fit. Just moments ago, Miriam came to me with the elastic waistband wrapped around her face, asking if she could use it as a belt. Hmm. Wasn't it already a belt, just on the inside??

As you can see, Miriam is a very inventive little girl. She can definitely think outside the box. I hope all the stress it causes me now will be worth it when she supports me in my old age with some invention she has come up with!

PB & J

How many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches could you eat before you were completely and utterly sick of them? I think Rebecca is trying to set a record. If you look at her eating habits, you would think PB&J's were their own food group! Rebecca takes her lunch with her every day to school. When she first started Kindergarten, I tried to make her have variety in her lunch throughout the week, but not too long into the school year, I decided that it wasn't worth the battle. If she wants to eat peanut butter sandwiches every day for lunch, so be it. She is the one eating it! This school year, we started a Saturday afternoon ritual of making enough sandwiches for the entire week and putting them in the freezer. (Did you know if you put PB on both pieces of bread, it keeps the sandwich from getting soggy?) Well, we are just about two months from the end of first grade, and Rebecca has just started becoming interested in taking leftovers from dinner for lunch. I asked her if she was getting sick of peanut butter and jelly, and she said yes.

So there are 169 days in this school year. 169 x 2 = 338 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches! (I figure the last two months have been more than made up for between all the weekends, school breaks, and summer time...) That is a lot of bread, peanut butter and jelly. Hopefully she has enjoyed the food jag, and will eventually gain a better sense of dietary variety!

I Hope They Call Me on a Mission

We recently had the missionaries over for dinner. While we were visiting after dinner, Joseph found the Elders' shoes in the entryway and began trying them on for size. It was comical to see this little boy try to walk around in the men's size shoes. Those were pretty big shoes for one small child to fill!

But as I have reflected on that experience, I have thought about how that is one of my greatest aspirations for that little boy. Joseph, I want-- no, I expect-- you to grow up and fill those shoes. I dream about the day when I will sit in the MTC and sing, "Called to Serve" and watch you walk through those doors away from me for two years. I want this so much for you, not because it is something to mark off the list of things a good Mormon boy does, but because it is an outward sign of your testimony and commitment to living the life your Heavenly Father has in store for you. It is evidence of you keeping yourself clean and unspotted from the world. It is a sign that you are beginning to understand sacrifice for the Lord. It is a beginning on the pathway to return to your Heavenly Father. There is nothing that I want more for you. Joseph, those are big shoes to fill, but I know you can do it!

Hot or Cold

Miriam can be such a sweet girl. Sometimes she comes up to me, gives me a hug, and whispers, "You're the best mom!" Sometimes at dinner she tells me, "You're the best cook!" Then there are the sweet snuggles and kisses from her that make all the stresses of motherhood worth it.

Then there is the about-face. When she is upset with me, she will tell me, "You're the meanest!" Then times when I don't let her have something she wants, she will tell me, "Do I need to hit you?" Now I know that 'they' say that children say what they hear, but I have no idea where she hears that! I certainly never say such things to her!

Miriam is such a funny girl. She can win my heart so easily when she is loving and kind. When she is angry, it makes me laugh to see her trying to intimidate me (I know I'm not that big, but come on!). Hopefully the sweet girl will win out over the agression!

Future Hairstylist

When I pulled out the clippers to trim Joseph's hair, Rebecca wanted to help me do it, even though cutting the hair of a 21 month old is not the easiest thing to do. She had a great time helping me with the haircut, and was sad when I made her hand back over the clippers.

Rebecca has always liked playing with hair, her own and those of us who are her guinea pigs. I remember when Miriam was a baby (so Rebecca would have been between 2 and 3 years old) lying on the floor resting while Rebecca combed and twisted and played with my hair. She was entertained and I was getting some rest! Now she is learning to braid, and is doing pretty well at it. She likes to do "crazy" hairdos in the evening. She will also style Miriam's hair in the style of the night. Some of the biggest power struggles I have with Rebecca have been over her letting me style her hair. She gets very particular ideas about what she thinks will look good, and sometimes it differs from what mom thinks would look good. I am always happy with days like today when she came up with an idea and I agreed that it would be a good style to try. It turned out cute, too!

Under the Knife

Today was Joseph's surgery. The technical name for the procedure he had done is penoplasty, and we are thrilled to report it went smoothly. Everything about the morning went very well. Joseph slept until I was ready to go, so I woke him up at 6:30 am and put him in the car. This is very helpful since he didn't get to eat or drink anything before the surgery. Traffic wasn't too bad driving down, and, thanks to reviewing a map and directions with Jack last night, I drove right there. Joseph had lots of fun in the Same Day Surgery waiting room, where they had kid-sized tables and chairs (but no toys, interestingly enough). He would carry the magazines to the table, sit down, look through them, and then take them back. He was very happy. When we got taken back to the surgery prep area, he was more cautious, but once he got adjusted he started playing. He rode a little riding toy up and down the hallway while we waited. (Isn't it interesting that we had to be there 1 1/2 hours before the procedure, and we spent about 1 hour waiting...) When we got taken back to the operating room, he didn't cry as the anesthesia was administered. When I got back to him in the recovery room, he had just woken up. He came to me and snuggled. Then he proceeded to drink 3 cups of juice and 2 graham crackers before we left. He is still happy, but we'll see how he does once the injection to block feeling to his penis wears off...

First Lap

I did it! I swam my first lap today. I was so excited. When I practice swimming, I have a little routine I go through. I practice kicking with the kick-board (leg exercise), then I do the backfloat (arm exercise), and then I practice breathing on the side of the pool. I can get through this routine 3 times in about 30 minutes, and then I try putting it together and actually swimming across the pool. Today was the first time I actually made it to the other end! After I got across, I had to wait several minutes to get my breathing and heart rate under control to be able to swim back. I made it to within three or four feet of the other end of the pool on the way back. I am just thrilled to see some progress from my efforts!

Visit with Great Grandma Fong

Yesterday we took the kids down to visit with Great-Grandma Fong and Tommie. Grandma Fong is Jack's dad's mother. She is married to Tommie Fong. We had fun visiting together. While we were visiting, we learned some interesting facts from them.

• Grandma Fong's father (Clint) loved cherry pie. She told us how whenever they drove up north, they would stop at Johnson's Corner and get some cherry pie.
• Grandma and Tommie are hard of hearing, so they kept asking the kids to speak louder. Grandma told us a story of her dad telling her brother, "You either need to speak up or shut up." (Maybe this is where Miriam got the 'shut up' from.)
• When we got there, Tommie was on the phone talking to a family member. His nephew (I think), who was born in the US, had recently been to China to get married. They still do arranged marriages!
• Tommie came to the US when he was 13 years old. He was born in the part of China just north of Hong Kong.
• Tommie will be 85 years old this year, and he still has a thick accent.

I am grateful we live close enough to family to be able to spend time together. I hope they gain an appreciation for their heritage and family history.

Courage of a Child

Yesterday we had Rebecca's friend over for a play date. The friend said, "Oh, my gosh!" a couple times. That is something I don't let my kids say. I think it is too close to the other word. However, I didn't comment on it. I figured if it continued, I would talk to her about it. Then Miriam piped up, "Mom doesn't let us say that. It's not a nice word." I didn't hear that phrase from the friend again.

This small statement by a not-quite-5 year old made me think about how as young children, the world is so black-and-white. Either it is right or wrong to do or say something. If it is wrong, we say something about it. We aren't so concerned about offending someone or hurting their feelings. Things are the way they are. Somehow, as we get older and grow into adults, the clear line between black and white blurs and creates many shades of gray. We are so concerned about not offending someone that we let things that really should be mentioned slip by. Of course, one of the lessons we try to instill in our children is the illusive principle of tact. But there is a balance to be found, where we stand up for the right without deliberately (or, hopefully, accidentally) hurting another. I am searching for this balance and learning from the courage of a child.

Bubbles Galore

Rebecca has been working on developing a new skill. She wants to be able to blow bubbles with gum. Every night after dinner the kids get to have a small treat. Rebecca has been choosing gum so she can practice her bubble-blowing. She will sit at the table (no gum on the carpet) and try to blow bubbles. Now that she has started to occasionally make a bubble, she will ask Mom or Dad to watch her for every attempt. She is so excited every time she makes a bubble, telling us how high up on her lip the gum was when it popped. Mom and Dad are not quite as excited about the gum, but have fun watching Rebecca's excitement.

Boy Toys

Joseph is showing the effects of being the younger brother to two older sisters. As a consequence of two girls, we have lots of little girl toys, but not so many little boy toys. Joseph is really getting into playing with dolls. Now, I think it is natural for children, while playing, to mimic what they know in life. When you are 21 months old, you know about getting pushed in strollers, fed in a highchair, and carried around. It is so cute to watch Joseph play with his big sisters' dolls, feeding them, taking them for walks, reading them stories, and carrying them on his shoulder. He is a good little daddy!

Joseph worked really hard to get into that doll stroller. He positioned the stroller so it was backed up to the leg of the table to keep it from rolling away. When he finally succeeded in getting into it, he was not getting out. I tried to get him out to eat dinner, and he threw a fit until I let him get back in the stroller. (He finally got up to the table when one of the girls asked about a treat.)

Hang in there, buddy! Your birthday is coming up, and then we will get more boy toys!

Becoming an Athlete

Back in November a new fitness center opened not too far from us. I signed up because I know exercise is an important way to stay healthy, physically and mentally. On my first visit, I did a fitness evaluation with a personal trainer. One of the questions she asked me was, "What are your goals for being here?" This is a pretty typical question, but I was taken aback. Goals? To lose those last few baby pounds, to sleep better, to be happier, to decrease my risk for osteoporosis and heart disease... What goals are you getting at? Needless to say, it gave me some food for thought.

So I proceeded to go to the gym several times a week. I would get on the elliptical machine and do the weight regiment that the trainer gave me. In case you have never done this, it can get monotonous, shall we say, even BORING! So as I did this, week in and week out, I formed the desire to have a goal. Even though I don't have any weight issues, I have never considered myself athletic. I struggled with self-confidence issues when I was younger, so I never pursued sports when I was in school. But now I wanted to do something. I decided that I wanted to participate in a triathlon.

Swimming, running and biking. Sounds like a lofty goal, especially for someone who can't swim, has bad knees, and doesn't own a bike. But goals can be lofty, right? I didn't even tell anyone about this goal for a while because it didn't seem realistic. But I realized that having the goal was more important than meeting the goal. Even if I never participate in a triathlon, if that is what I am working toward, then I am succeeding.

So I have altered my exercise routine. I run on the treadmill, ride the stationary bike, and am learning to swim. I set goals for speed and distance so that I can improve myself. Some days I get off the machine and wonder if I can walk to the car! I am thrilled to have a goal and to be working to become an athlete.

Thank-you Notes

Rebecca turned 7 three weeks and a day ago. One lesson I am trying to instill on my children is the importance of sending thank-you notes whenever someone gives them something. So in the wake of a birthday, there comes the days of reminding them to write their notes. Over the past year Rebecca has learned how fun typing on the computer is. She decided this year to type her thank-you notes. When you are still at the hunt-and-peck stage of typing, even a short note can take a while. Rebecca, however, is not sticking to short notes. Instead, she is writing novel-length thank-you notes to each gift-giver. (Be glad you didn't give her a book-- she got one from G&G Crews and is currently typing the whole story into the letter!) She includes a page where she repeats "your rich, beautiful, splendid, nice, wonderful, perfect, rich..." It is so neat to see her personality emerge and show itself in such unique ways! And if you haven't gotten your thank-you note yet, please be patient!

Hand-me-Down Heaven

This week we had two consecutive days where the temperature reached at least 75 degrees. For my kids, this fact meant it must be time to break out the shorts! So I found the summer clothes in the appropriate sizes for the girls to 'try out' for the few days of warm weather we were getting. It made me think about how grateful I am that Miriam is still young enough to find it exciting to go shopping for her wardrobe in the basement and to have her big sister say, "I used to love wearing that!" I know the day will come when that isn't the case, but I hope it doesn't come for a long time!

Missing Daddy

Jack is off on a business trip this week. We talk to him every morning via web cam. The kids love to talk to him. Joseph gets excited and will run to the computer when I tell him it is time to talk to dad. Rebecca wants to type things to Dad and play Uno with him. Miriam likes to show Dad silly things she is doing.

The kids do fairly well while Jack is gone. They all deal with the change differently. Miriam has been waking up at night more often, telling me she just wants to be with me. Rebecca acts out and gets mouthy, and then emotional. Joseph doesn't misbehave, but he loves talking on the phone and computer to Dad!

Nose Dive

We have a little park in our neighborhood. The play equipment is surrounded by big rocks-- sitting boulders, I think they are called. Today while we were playing, Joseph fell nose first into one of the rocks. I watched him fall, and my thought was, "I hope he didn't break his nose!" But by the time I got him home to clean him up, he didn't even cry when I washed his bloody nose. So I figure it isn't broken. He does look banged up, though!

All Tied Up

Miriam has a fascination with tying knots. We have knots in everything. She tied a jump rope to the legs of the end table. She tied the ears of her stuffed bunny together. She has tied things to doorknobs and dresser drawer knobs. She tied knots into her robe tie so tight that I can't get them out. Whenever she finds ribbon, she will tie them into contraptions that only her imagination could come up with. She made reins for a horse and a carrier for a stuffed animal out of ribbon. However, when it is her turn to empty the bathroom trash, she can't tie the handles of the plastic grocery bags we use as liners together! Go figure.

Bookworms

In our family we like to read. I think it is great that all three of the kids started when they were about a year old going to the bookshelf and looking through picture books by themselves. They also love to be read to. Now Rebecca is quite proficient at reading to herself as well as the rest of us.

Jack usually reads two types of books: self-help books and professional literature. When I pick something up for him at the bookstore, I don't know what language it is in... English, usually, but what is this Java, C++, ??? Jack also is good about listening to audio books while he drives. He did this more when he was going down to the Denver Tech Center for work.

I like fiction, and the happier the better. Real life is depressing enough, I don't want my escape time depressing, too! I really enjoyed the Twilight series (Jack thinks every woman on the planet agrees). Some other authors I like are Shannon Hale, Robin McKinley, Terry Brooks, and Anne McCaffrey. I am currently reading a classic called Rebecca. So far it is really good, and I don't like classics in general!

Rebecca likes simple chapter books, the kind with 8 to 10 chapters. I was getting her beginning reader books, and she wouldn't read them. Then we went to the library with one of her friends and she got a Rainbow Fairy chapter book and read the whole thing to herself in a couple hours, and then had to read the whole thing to me. Bingo. She needed something more advanced! Mom thinks they are boring-- about a million books with the same plot, but the girls love them. Rebecca also likes to read the Magic School Bus chapter books, and I like those because they are educational as well.

Miriam likes to read whatever Rebecca is reading. This is not to say that Miriam is just copying her big sister. Miriam comprehends the story (sometimes better than Rebecca) and will ask for me to read parts over to her because she "wants to remember what happened." Miriam isn't reading yet, but I think she will take off quickly once she is in school. Miriam also enjoys picture books as well.

Joseph loves to find books to read. He will find a book, bring it to you saying "Boo, Boo" and back up so he can sit on your lap to read the story. When we put him to bed, we give him a book to look at while he is going to sleep. He will lie on his back holding the book up, and "read" it to himself. Once Jack heard him jabbering in bed, and went to see what he needed. Joseph was reading his book and looked at Jack like, "What are you doing here?"