Life Revisited

I am so grateful for family, and for our dear friends who support us.  There are a bunch of new young couples moving into our ward (finally!) and we are enjoying having friends in the neighborhood!  Especially for me, it has been absolutely wonderful to finally make friends.  Not having my crazy, insane schedule has really helped, and having these new friendships has been a huge blessing in my life.  I never realized how important/nice it is to have friends.  It has been quite the adjustment for me to make such dramatic changes, but I feel I am seeing the rewards of those decisions, and I'm finally able to enjoy the upsides of life.  It's so fun to have a running buddy! (Love ya Jen!) We've been going every day! It's wonderful. (Thanks to Logan for being Wes's Early morning running buddy!) Having play-dates, and family nights, and date-nights--Wes and I both needed to have more of a social life, but time was so scarce, we could barely fit in our own time together.  It is great to finally have time to have friends. :)   Here are some family highlights from the last little while:
                            
                                 Robert and Daddy: Such handsome guys!

                         Having fun at This is the Place!

                            Cute Piggy!

                      Fun at the zoo with the Hansen Cousins, and Grandma Sue :)

Victory!

After 5 hours of scrubbing, and 3 Costco sized tubes of toothpaste... the giant permanent marker wall-murals have been erased! And our apartment smells minty fresh. :) 

Things I learned about permanent marker:
It is evil
The red ones are even worse
Toothpaste is the only thing that worked to get it off, not rubbing alcohol, not baking soda, not peroxide, not the "magic eraser". Plain old regular toothpaste. Not the gel kind...
You have to have a bucket of water.  Toothpaste dried onto the wall is not easy to get off... you have to get it off before you can get to scrubbing the marker off. And you need to rinse the thing you are scrubbing with, because the toothpaste gets all caked on...even when you've got a good foam going.
You don't use an old sock, or a washcloth.  That was a total joke... :P  Steel wool, my friends, steel wool!
Rubber gloves are good, because as I found out, steel wool + scrubbing + toothpaste + bare hands = very white pretty nails, and very sore hands. (I know this is obvious, but I didn't have rubber gloves lying around... so I thought I'd try before I made yet another trip to the store... lol.. don't do it!)
Scrubbing Permanent marker off of walls for 5 hours is a hardcore arm/back workout, so I will count that as a positive. ;) 

Lastly, I learned that my little artist was sweet enough to get his little sponge, and help mommy clean up his "picture". 

Little Bear's Adventures

We have been having fun enjoying watching Bear's personality really start to develop.  He has such a sense of humor, and a love of adventure just like his Dad.  No day is too cold or too wet, too dark, or too hot for this little boy to have fun. I love when he shows his nurturing side, pretending to feed his dog-dog a "ba-ba" tucking him in and pretending to read him a story. I love when he giggles and his little nose wrinkles up, or holds my hand when we are walking through the zoo.  When he climbs into Wesley's lap, and just snuggles into him.  When he wants to wear daddy's hats and help daddy "six it" (fix it) and goes and grabs some tools.  He also now has a fascination with babies... He loves them, he will just watch and observe them, giggling when they smile, or shake their toys. It is an amazing thing.  People aren't kidding when they say time flies. I can't believe Robert has turned 3 this year. Wow.  I try to remember how Quickly he is growing up, he won't be my snuggly little bear much longer.  So even though he wants to be touchy-lovey more than I want to right now, pretty soon it will be the other way around... So I will remember to stop what I'm doing and give him a hug whenever he wants one, even when I really need to study or practice,  so I will have a savings built up to get me through all the years when he won't... (hopefully he still will!) I love our little adventures, I am excited for each new one. (especially the adventure finally being done with school will be!)  :)

A Snapshot of Little Bear at 3 years old:

You now go to the potty all by yourself
Your favorite colors are orange and yellow
You love to play with legos, trucks, robots, dinosaurs and puzzles
You laugh hysterically at cartoons such as Spongebob, Tom and Jerry, and Looney Toons
Your favorite foods are:  Tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, snap-peas, carrots, chicken nuggets, and chocolate
You dislike: cake, cottage cheese, any ground meat, oatmeal, mushrooms, and eggs.
You have a real love of animals, and you are always so gentle with them
You love to help mommy do the cooking
You love to sing when you're playing, or walking around the park (another trait you get from dad, except that dad whistles!)
You can count to ten all by yourself
You love water, any water, whether it is puddles, swimming, or washing your hands. :)
When you say your name, it sounds like, "Robot".

We love you so much, Robert! 
 

It's never too late...

Wow! It has been awhile! Now that we have internet, (Yay!) we will get back to blogging. :) 

Own it

So, I realize that I can be too forward about things. I say what I think most of the time. (In Jr. High, I was especially outspoken, and passionate, I've toned it down quite a bit since then.) I'm grateful for my Health and Diversity class, in which the instructor specifies that anything we say is fine, as long as we own it.  We have to own our comments, our beliefs, our opinions, and never interrupt others, never balk at or snicker at other people's beliefs, opinions, or comments.  How great it has been to be in a class of debate, where no one accuses, no one is afraid to speak their mind, no one person is right, or wrong, and that's okay.  Being right is all in the eye of the beholder.  What is right is different for every person, based on their upbringing, their experience, their view of life.   This is known as bias.  Bias is not bad, it is just who you are.  Your bias is your religion, your family, what makes you happy.  We all have a different bias, and being understanding and accepting of those differences makes the world better, at least that is what I think.

I am never one to be upset when people disagree with me.  In fact, I like it when people do.  I learn a lot from discussions, the back and forth flow of ideas, and concepts.  I love debate, I love seeing different points of view.  Wes and I debate a lot.  About issues, about politics, about world events, current events, you name it, we debate it, but it is fun!  He brings up points I've never thought of, and vice versa, and we learn a lot from each other.  Never be afraid to tell me I'm wrong, or that you disagree with me.  I am extremely adapted to taking criticism... every week of the last 12 years of my life, I have faced poignant criticism.  Being in music has taught me to accept my weaknesses, and work to overcome them.  To call for a higher standard for myself, and to use criticism to my advantage.  It doesn't help me if I never know that my vibrato is too slow on very high notes, or that I have practiced a certain passage incorrectly.  I have to be told that I am overpowering the violin in quartet, or that I am rushing my 16th notes, in order to make a performance go smoothly, and offer the audience professional quality work. Being told I am wrong is something I've been told probably a hundred-thousand times or more. It has been great for me. I just have to remember that others have not had that same experience, and that not everyone wants to hear a different point of view.

  My experience in my family, is that my father is a scientist, so every time I would come home from soccer practice with things like, "Coach said that soda decreases your endurance.  I am never drinking soda ever again."  My dad would say, "Well, is that right? What research is that based on? What medical journal or scientific journal was it published in?"  So I have learned to be very skeptical about things, and look for proof, look for the research, look for actual evidence, before I believe something.  That is how I approach pretty much everything in life now.  I realize that when I try to say to other people what my Dad has always said to me, it can come across as being a "know-it-all" which is not positive, but I am really just being protective.  There are so many things out there that take advantage of people, without proper research, and concern for safety.  I also grew up in a family where we were not ever allowed to speak ill of ourselves.  "I wish I was skinny," or "I wish my nose was smaller," or "I hate my big hips" or "I'm not pretty like she is" caused immediate and direct condemnation, with correction. "Don't you ever say that.  Your body is beatiful, it is a gift, you should take care of it, but never alter it. Your muscular legs run track and soccer games.  Your nose is your father's. Don't compare your weaknesses to other people's strengths. You have gifts and talents that are totally unique to you, and only you can use them to make the world better."  Over and over and over again this has been drilled into me, to the point that now when I hear other people say those things, it causes that same immediate reaction, but I'm not ashamed of it.  I own it.  I accept it. Another part of bias and socialization is that you can choose whether to believe your bias, or not believe it, and change it.  I happen to believe mine.  I embrace it fully, and I am grateful for it. I own what I say.  I know other people believe theirs just as much, and that's okay.  That is what is great about being a part of a big family, all with different traditions, views, bias, and dynamics.  No one is absolutely right, or absolutely wrong.  We learn so many things from each other.  What a gift it is to have diverse backgrounds all coming together.  As Neal A. Maxwell said, "The lubricant of love must be used in generous proportions." I guess that is how different people with different bias, can all be in a family together.  ;)  

great blog!

So, I know you little marathoners are hard at work training.  I have to be really honest though, and say that all of the diet talk around all of you is kind of getting out of hand... I love you guys, so don't be mad at me, but seriously... nutrition is not crazy, real nutrition is based on research, and facts, not hearsay, or fads.  I really like this blog, FUEL THE FIRE she is a registered dietician, and references all of her recommendations with the McGraw-Hill textbooks on nutrition and sports nutrition.  I have the textbooks also, if any of you would like to borrow them.  She has great information.  No gimmicks.  She is a 2:45 marathoner, mother of two, and qualified for the US olympic trials, and everything she talks about is accurate.  http://nutritionsuccess.org/blog/welcome/  Hope you like it!

Happy Valentines!

Wesley is so amazing!  We had talked about saving and not splurging for holidays.  It is hard for me, because my family was all about the holidays, decorations, heart-shaped pancakes, the whole nine yards.  I've gotten along fine, and have had fun doing creative not costly gifts and projects. Anyhow, Yesterday was a long day, and after lots of class, and a muscle spasm in my neck that will still not go away, I came home to a total surprise last night of flowers, chocolates, Italian Wedding Soup that Wes made, heart-shaped cookies, fresh fruit, french bread and camembert, pomegranate juice and even a separate little chicken dinner for Robert.  Wow!! Totally unexpected, and so, so sweet.  He said it was because he knew how much it would mean to me.  I am so in love with this man. XOXO  Best Valentines Day Ever!  :D

Pet peeve

A Public safety announcement for the millcreek area neighborhoods: To the people who run at 9:00 at night in all black (ninja style) with their all black dogs (who are off leash and criss cross all over the road) down the MIDDLE of the curvy unlit streets... Black is slimming, but at night black becomes magically invisible. Crazy how that works. Yes I Honk my horn at you when I almost hit you and your dogs.  Otherwise you and your iPod are completely oblivious.  You may not know this, but you are running directly into oncoming traffic. I think in a car vs ninja and dogs competition, car wins. Soooooo what I am trying to say is....PLEASE DON'T BE IDIOTS. buy a five dollar reflective vest, or a headlamp, I don't want you to die. 

How time flies...

Well, I finally hooked up the mac mini again, now that we really need it for school. And I clicked on the "snow family photos file". Wow. Honors quartet, Me pregnant, and blonde! (I was HUGE, not fat, just... Robert was a really big baby! My stomach stuck STRAIGHT out, and really far out...haha!) Robert as a tiny little baby, Wes with a buzz! Okay, yes I got teary. Especially with how little Robert looked, and just remembering all those special moments. It is so easy to forget. I am so grateful for cameras. :) It's funny too, because Wes was getting all teary right with me, and I remember how Wes would always say, "You take too many pictures! We don't need to take all these!" And I asked him, "So, do you still think I take too many pictures?" And he just smiled and said, "No way." It got us both thinking about where we've been and where we are, and how much progress we have made, and wonderful memories we have shared. It is amazing. I love looking at old photos, and can't wait to keep making new ones to look at over the coming years. :)