My Little Nap Fighters

Sometimes when Maggie doesn't want to take a nap, a nap takes her.

It happens to Kate too.

Recent Accomplishments

Accomplishment #1:

Earlier this month, I got to run a half-marathon here in KC with these two lovely ladies! It was such a fun way to see the city and I loved training and running with my wonderful sisters-in-law. It feels so good to be running long distances again. I used to regularly do ten-mile runs, but it had been a few years and two babies since then and I didn't have time for more than three to four runs a week, so I was a little nervous at first.

Nadine and Lisa definitely pushed me. I have run a couple marathons and a half-marathon before, but I had never run with a goal time. And I beat it by almost thirteen minutes, clocking in at just over 1:47...and didn't feel completely dead. So I was pretty happy.

But the best part really was getting to know Nadine and Lisa better. They are such talented, patient, amazing women, mothers, and wives, and I look up to them so much. I really appreciate their examples as well as the examples of my other sister-in-laws because as the oldest in my family, I never had the benefit of an older sister until I got married. I feel truly blessed to not only have seven amazing sister-in-laws, but to have also had opportunities to get to know each of them in different ways. (And I'm getting another sister-in-law come December!!! Wahoo!)

And no. I don't know why I am hunching like the Hunchback of Kansas City in these pictures. If you want to see some more awkward pictures of me, click this link to see pictures of me in the race. I definitely need to work on my race face. Though I am pretty sure I was smiling a lot of the race, but they must have taken most of these during the last mile, when I was not smiling so much. Especially since I was with Nadine and Lisa the majority of the race and they aren't in the pictures. Also, they mistook a couple of old people running together for me. I think their numbers were close to mine. But don't be fooled. I do not have short gray hair or glasses on.

Accomplishment #2:

Mike's took his first mid-term! He is really back to the books. This is a picture of him on his first day--backpack on and ready to roll. It's hard to believe he is already halfway through the semester. And surprisingly, we are enjoying having him in school: Maggie's cousins live just a mile from Mike's school, so we spend family time driving up to his class, drop him off, then get to spend fun time visiting with Shawn and Nadine's family, who are fantastic hosts and usually provide us with dinner. I am learning some great recipes and housekeeping tips from Nadine, that is for sure. Maggie loves playing with Emma and Ava. And Kate gets to do fun things like try on lion outfits and be held and carried (only slightly scary :) ) by older cousins.














Accomplishment #3:

Can you tell what this is?

If you guessed the Angel Moroni, you guessed right. That's the little gold guy on top of LDS temples for those of my friends that are less familiar with Mormon lingo. Mike was the brains behind that family activity. Maggie wasn't too sure about the yucky pumpkin, but after Mike got it all cleaned out, she was really happy to pinprick it for the outline. Then Mike and I carved it together after the girls were in bed. Another winning family/date night! Next we have plans to do the Nauvoo temple...we'll see if we get to that this year or if we end up pushing it to next.

Accomplishment #4&5:

We got to go to the temple on Saturday for the first time in quite a while. It was such a nice trip. The girls were so good in the car and Maggie was so excited to see the temple. (Her favorite song has been "I Love to See the Temple" since before she turned two.) Then that night we finally got our turn to watch this crew for a couple hours while their parents took their turn for date night. Mike's brothers' families and ours have been taking turns swapping babysitting and it was our turn to watch the kids. It was a blast! We ate spaghetti, made cupcakes, picked bouquets, played, and danced to favorites like "Freeze Dance" and "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" (Greg and Steve, see post below). Seven kids under eight would be a blast if they were all as good as these ones. :) Maggie was, of course, thrilled. Her cousins are her favorite people in the world, I think. (Her most recent prayers all center around the phrase, "and pease bess my cuz-ins to be safe.") And it was so fun to see Mike interact with his girls, nieces, and nephew. He may have had even more fun than the kids did.

Yesterday and A Few Too Many Words on Cars

Yesterday, Mike rode to work. He's been doing that more and more lately.

Back in June, we were in a car-shopping phase again and passed up this baby for these...

Needs v. wants and all that jazz. With Mike working a mile-and-a-half from our home, it's easy to share a car. And even easier now that Mike has a bike. I love this quote from Elder Hales' talk "Becoming Provident Providers": "These two lessons are the essence of provident living. When faced with the choice to buy, consume, or engage in worldly things and activities, we all need to learn to say to one another, 'We can’t afford it, even though we want it!' or 'We can afford it, but we don’t need it—and we really don’t even want it!'” Loved this talk ever since it was first given. Go here to watch a cute clip. (Though I must say, Sister Hales must be a better person than me. With smaller want-glands. She probably doesn't go through a week-long mourning period after she tells her husband not to get her something.)

I really did like the Mazda5. Don't ask me why, but I have always loved hatchbacks and station wagons. And sliding doors would be really nice for getting the kids in and out of the car. The 5 is like a station wagon with sliding doors. My main reservation was that it only had six seats, rather than seven as I would like, and if they were all being used, practically no cargo space. I was glad we didn't get it. It just wasn't right for us. And we just didn't quite need it. Someday we'll be a two-car family again, but not yet. And to tell you the truth, I'm glad. We are in a fun and simple stage of life. And it's fun to dream.

Speaking of dreaming, just found out about this. It has the station wagon look I love in both the Kia Rondo and the Mazda5 and has the seven seats of the Rondo and sliding doors of the 5. Maybe this Ford C-Max is just what I've been waiting for. Probably we should start looking more at real minivans. Maybe now that I'm twenty-five I can do it. At twenty-four I just wasn't ready to go there.

And, by the way, I have wanted bikes for a while and am so excited to finally have some! I want to go on bike dates to get ice cream or go play tennis or what-not. I couldn't convince Mike in the summer because it was too hot, but now that it's cooler, we are so going. Even if he's right and we do look like middle-schoolers.

I would have posted about this long ago, but Mike was being difficult about getting pictured on his bike. And is it incredibly dorky that I spent 11:14 to 11:23pm in the garage just me, my bike, and the camera on self-timer?

Okay, long tangent. Back to yesterday.

It was a great day. I got up with the girls at seven (hurray for Kate sleeping over six hours in a row for the first time in over a month...ever since those teeth started coming in this summer, my perfect sleeper is no more). By ten, the sheets were washed, we had read a bunch of books, everyone was fed and dressed, dishes were done, and we were headed to the park. And since Mike had taken his bike, we didn't even have to walk. (Not that I don't love walking. I do. It's just nice to change it up so that everywhere we go doesn't have to be an expedition.) We were going to meet up with some friends there, but they canceled, and I must say, it was nice just being us. I could really focus on my girls. They are so fun. Kate napped in the car the first bit and Maggie and I swung on the swings. I can't remember what she was saying, but it was cute and I remember looking at her and thinking, "I'm so glad to have this time with my little Maggie. This is what life's all about." She is such a good girl. I want her to always know that she is loved and special and beautiful. And one of my very best friends. I hope I communicate that enough in my words, looks, and actions.

After Kate woke up, we played a little longer. Kate is such a sweet and good-tempered baby. She loves to have fun.

When we were on the slides, we met a nice woman who was watching her cousin's little guy. She is getting married in May and moving to Texas. Before we left, I told her she might want to look up the Church when she got there, as a way to meet people. I really need to start carrying around pass-along cards. I wish everyone had the gospel.

While Mike watched the girls at lunch, I got to go visiting teaching. I love my friend Stephanie. She is probably in her fifties and is so wise and fun to talk to.

After lunch, Maggie settled herself to quietly look at picture books and I wasted some time internet browsing before sitting down to play with Kate. We haven't even tried for a nap the last couple days. Maggie has had trouble taking a nap the last couple weeks and when she does, she is up until nine-thirty or ten. Since she is settling herself down for some quiet time today, I don't really mind. And then I can put her to bed right at eight...or even a little before.

Before dinner, we grooved to Greg and Steve and Sing and Learn French! that I got from the library. I think I was born on the wrong continent because I really dig European techno. Especially the kids' stuff. Seriously. You've got to follow the link. My favorite is either "Léon le chaméléon" or "Un, deux, trois." Listen. Love it. (And yes. I am very proud of myself for remembering how to get the accent to come up over the "e" from tenth grade French class.)

While our own Johnny Appleseed planted a tree he found in our development's open space, I made yummy taquitos and cilantro-lime beans and rice for dinner, inspired by my friend Julie's new blog. He said it will be Kate's tree, since Maggie already has this other one that Mike found on clearance at Home Depot last fall. I think Mike was actually going for a bigger tree, but it's roots were wound around a neighboring tree and a fence and he lost that battle. Or at least didn't have time for it. But it served it's purpose of relieving stress from a long day, so it was all good.

And the girls went to bed early. Which was nice.

And I really should go. While I've spent all this time boring you all, "Cinderella" (that would be Maggie) has managed to "help" by pouring out half a container of baby rice puffs all over "Snow White" (Kate), the highchair, and the floor and emptying all of her shirts out of her drawer. This is why I don't blog anymore.

August 7, 2010

In case you didn't get to see the link, highlights of our family pictures: