life with the lambs

Phone camera to the rescue

2012-02-04T15:57:00.001-09:00

Since my camera broke a few months ago and I have yet to send it in for repair, our lives have not been documented very well. All photographic evidence has pretty much been left up to my phone. Here are a few events that have been captured over the last four months.

1. Evie begged for smile pancakes after she saw a picture of some in a book, so I whipped up a batch of blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Both girls politely took three bites each and asked for cereal.

2. A few weekends ago we celebrated my baby sister's wedding. Evie was on the dance floor all night with a few notable exceptions, cake being one of them.

3 & 10. The girls and I went on a date for some frozen yogurt. They both ordered chocolate with gummy bears and m&m's. I am so happy Anchorage finally has a few pay-by-the-ounce joints. Our favorite haunt is Yogurt Lounge.

4. Despite the -20 degree temperature three weeks ago, the clear skies and blaring sun called for sunglasses. Charlotte picked a new pair out and wore them all day.

5. About a month ago all our toilets went bad, so Josh installed new ones and put beautiful tile where ugly linoleum used to reside. Charlotte happily endured a long shopping trip to Lowe's thanks to a few episodes of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" on Josh's phone.

6. Six weeks ago Evie visited the dentist to get a canker sore zapped. She usually has a mouthful, but we have not seen a single one since the treatment.

7. The month of January was filled with wedding prep. I was in charge of making the bridesmaid skirts and I finished the last one the day before the wedding.

8. Evie and I snuggling on my mom's couch sometime in October.

9. In December I purged around the house to make room for the new Christmas gifts. Charlotte found an old bink amidst the clutter and for two days she refused to let it out of her sight. I thought a major relapse was in order, but I managed to sneak it away during her bath without any trouble.

11 & 15. The girls sleeping on our plane ride back from Utah in November.

12. I love that sweet face!

13. My sister hired a hairstylist for all the bridesmaids. She was very nice and did a great job with everyone else, but I wasn't a fan of the huge bump on my head. Luckily, I fixed it before the ceremony and all was well. Although everyone did get a good laugh when I texted the picture.

14. On our way back home from Utah, Charlotte escaped and made a beeline for the escalator. She tripped and smashed her face on the metal, effectively shredding her poor upper lip. Her nap in the #15 picture happened after she screamed for 40 minutes and the Ibuprofen finally kicked in.

Secret Keeper?

2012-01-02T10:03:00.008-09:00

We discovered over the last few weeks that Evie is a terrible secret keeper.

For example, she happened to be with me when I bought Josh's Christmas present. We had a long talk about how it was a special surprise for daddy, so we shouldn't talk about the gift. Flash forward three hours and I overhear her whisper to Josh, "We went to Habitat and got you a knife. It's a special surprise for Christmas!"

What other secrets has Evie been sharing? Well, if you have been around Evie for more than fifteen minutes in the last four weeks, you may have heard something along the lines of this:

"My mommy has a baby in her tummy! It's a secret!!"

She always makes sure to add the "it's a secret" part at the end.

Here are a few tidbits about our little secret:

We are equally excited for a boy or a girl. (Read: we didn't "try" for a specific gender or have our hopes set in one direction.)
We are not finding out the gender until little lambkin arrives.
I am due the end of July.
With each of the girls, I gave birth and then took finals a week later. This baby will be no different, as my due date coincides with the week of my very last finals. I kind of feel like I am in some crazy marathon, but instead of a medal I get a college diploma and a baby at the end.
Because of the previous tidbit, I am actually hoping to have this baby later rather than sooner. (I may or may not be secretly wishing for a July 31st birth. And if you can tell me why, then you are also a nerd.)
Overall, the balance of college, little girls, Joy School, pregnancy, church responsibilities, and Josh is going very well.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T18:55:00.000-09:00

Apparently going back to school full-time means that I don't pick up my camera or even think about blogging. Maybe that will change next semester; I am taking three classes instead of five. Only time will tell.

I managed to remember the camera for Christmas Eve festivities, but I only snapped a few photos. Here is the evidence.

Charlotte was her snuggly, mischievous self. She ran around the house all evening, alternating between passing kisses out to everyone and stealing candy from the gingerbread houses my brothers were making.

Evie spent the evening making spritzer cookies for Santa. She planned out every detail, from which lucky cookies got to be chosen for the Santa plate down to the note explaining our offerings.

Christmas day was pretty amazing. Josh got off work early the night before, so we stayed up late finalizing Christmas details and watching family home videos from our trip to Disneyland last year. Then we all woke up the next morning, went to church together, and came home to open presents. We spent a lot of time with family, whether in person or via Skype. Like I said, amazing.

Strawberries with chocolate

2011-12-05T11:25:00.000-09:00

Several months ago while shopping at the mall, Evie saw a big display advertising chocolate-covered strawberries. She stopped, inquired what those "things" were called, and then proclaimed that instead of cake for her birthday she wanted strawberries with chocolate. Well, as she says it, "Thstwaberrieth wif chwoclate." Four years old and her adorable lisp is still just as prominent.

The girls' birthdays are just a week apart, so we decided to do joint parties in Utah and Alaska.

For the Utah party, Pop Pop and Tu Tu pulled out the chocolate fountain and Evie ate all the strawberries with chocolate her little heart desired.

When Charlotte woke up from her nap the girls opened presents and then returned to the chocolate fountain.

Aunt Becca worked hard the last few months and crocheted blankets for all her nieces (the other two can be found on her blog). Below are better shots of Charlotte's butterfly sky and Evie's jungle scene.

We had the Alaska birthday party for the girls yesterday, but I did not take any pictures. It was equally fun and involved a lot of giggling and playtime with cousins from North Carolina.

Thank you to all our wonderful family who love my sweet babies so much!

Birthday beginning

2011-12-05T10:58:00.000-09:00

We flew to Utah two weeks ago to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with Josh's parents, Becca, Chris, and their best couple friends from college. We started the vacation with a trip to get pedicures in honor of Evie's upcoming birthday.

Evie sat in her own little Hello Kitty chair. She was pretty excited and had a lot of fun picking out the nail polish and stickers for her nails.

Window watching

2011-11-11T09:27:00.001-09:00

The latest craze around the house is window watching. The girls love to sit in the little chairs and watch the snow fall or the neighbor's dogs or the fairy houses. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that bring so much joy.

Halloween Epiphany

2011-11-08T21:48:00.000-09:00

On Halloween night I drove the girls to the church parking lot for our ward's Trunk-or-Treat. At exactly 6pm when the event was scheduled to begin, snow started falling. Luckily, we had coats and hats to protect us. The snowfall increased and by the time we made it around the parking lot, I had two shivering girls with buckets full of candy and costumes covered in snow.

It was while buckling my screaming, freezing girls in their car seats that I had an epiphany.

Never again.

Never again (for as long as we live in Alaska or someplace else where it snows on Halloween) will I make Halloween costumes.

The thought was a bit freeing. The costumes this year did not take much effort, mind you, but between the dark sky and intense snowfall no one even saw their costumes. From now on they can choose to dress up from the neck up. I will paint faces and make hats, but that is it. Full-on snow gear from the waste down is the new standard.

Just thought I would share in case anyone else in a snowbound state needs a little Halloween liberation.

Halloween

2011-10-29T23:39:00.000-08:00

We went to a Halloween party at my dad's house tonight, so I decided to get some costume pictures on the front porch. This is the first year I have attempted to make costumes for the girls and it was relatively painless. Charlotte's costume is a mixture of the bird wings I made a few months ago, an owl tunic inspired by something I found on flikr, and a knit hat I have been wanting to make. Evie's costume is a circle skirt, a cape I made up while sewing, and the hat my mother made.

My sister Megan and my dad put on a pretty cool party. The house was decked out, there was enough food and candy to feed an army, and the activities included pumpkin decorating, a viewing of The Great Pumpkin, and kid crafts. Plus, you can't top a great GaGa costume. My little brother won first place in his school's costume contest for that little number.

Joy School Halloween Parade

2011-10-21T07:20:00.000-08:00

In Joy School the kids have been learning about feelings and for days all I have been hearing from Evie is "I am feeling so excited about my party!"

She was an adorable little witch (although I think she has decided against using the green face paint again- too itchy) and she was great in the performance (even if she did get a little stage fright and wouldn't do the actions). For your viewing pleasure- the parade, "Oh Boy, I've Got Joy", and "I'm a Mean Old Witch With a Hat".

How to sidestep a landmine

2011-10-12T21:15:00.000-08:00

Meltdowns during flu shots were completely avoided thanks to the distracting power of the lollipop.

Witches in the air... and other wild things

2011-10-09T21:55:00.000-08:00

Evie declared last February that she wanted to be a witch for Halloween. Eight months later, she is still holding strong to that decision. My mother made her the most adorable witch's hat for the occasion. Last week she wore the hat whenever we left the house- to the store, to Joy School, to get the mail. She really loves her hat.

Evie has also been practicing her cackle. She wants to play the part just right, naturally.

Charlotte is going to be an owl. I haven't put together her costume yet or I'm sure she would be wearing it all over the place, too. Although, she is wild and free-spirited enough without adding an animal persona to the mix.

As it is, the girls spend about half the day pretending to be animals. Evie calls it "animal costumes" and I have to guess which animal has taken over their bodies. These silly girls sure keep my days interesting.

Fairy Real Estate

2011-10-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

Evie decided the fairy house needed a neighbor. We went to the store and she had quite a hard time choosing between a rolling stagecoach and the Eiffel Tower.

I think the property value of this fairy neighborhood just went up a little.

Auf Wiedersehen

2011-09-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

I would like to end my Germany series with a picture of my favorite purchase of the trip- all the men in man-pris (you know, capris for men). Adorable, no?

Dachau

2011-09-30T11:13:00.000-08:00

Our last stop before heading home was to Dachau, a Nazi concentration camp. I feel like whatever I say will not adequately describe the experience. To say it was moving and emotional is an understatement. I know visiting Dachau is something I will never forget.

"Work sets you free." Every prisoner read these words upon entering the camp.

This monument was so striking in real life. Underneath were the words, "Never again."

"Grave of thousands unknown. Do not forget."

A few words about gelato

2011-09-30T10:12:00.001-08:00

We had gelato every day.

Hazelnut gelato is divine.

I love it.

I miss it.

The end.

Schwangau

2011-09-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

Schwangau is home to two castles- Hohenschwangau, where King Ludwig II grew up, and Neuschwanstein, the castle he built after becoming king. We first spotted Neuschwanstein from the highway. Breathtaking!

Our hotel was surrounded by castles. Neuschwanstein on one side...

...and Hohenschwangau on the other. This is the view from our hotel balcony.

It was a nice day, so we walked around and found ourselves at a beautiful lake that had paddle-boats for rent.

The next morning when we toured the castles it was raining, so I didn't bring my camera along. It is just as well, because you can't take any pictures inside anyway. Neuschwanstein was by far my favorite castle. Ludwig had it built in the medieval style, so it was filled with amazing woodcarvings and tapestries. The only thing missing after all the swans, flowers, and cherubs in Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee was a rainbow and unicorn. Well, Neuschwanstein did not disappoint. The throne room contained a huge rainbow on the wall, the singer's hall had a wooden unicorn coming out of a pillar, and there were paintings of battles with soldiers and dragons everywhere. Ludwig completely exceeded my expectations. Hohenschwangau was also lovely, although not quite as detailed and decorated as Neuschwanstein, probably because Ludwig didn't have a hand in building it. Schwangau is my favorite place we visited, although Rothenburg is a close second.

Linderhof

2011-09-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Linderhof Palace is another residence of Ludwig II. Like Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof is also dedicated to the French kings. It is lavish and extravagant, but the mono-color themed rooms are more pleasing to the eye than the visual assault at Herrenchiemsee. What I really loved was walking around the grounds. Linderhof Palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens, fountains, statues, a secret grotto, and a Moorish tea house.

Ed told us to put our faces through the lattice and pose. This picture turned out pretty much exactly like I thought it would. We are a bunch of creepers.

Ludwig II is widely reputed as being crazy and his secret grotto does nothing to dispel that rumor. Obsessed with the arts and opera, Ludwig had a secret grotto constructed on a hill above Linderhof Palace. Companies from around Germany were invited to perform for their king (and only their king, no guests allowed). There is even space for a full orchestra. Ludwig would sit in his seashell boat, dressed in costume, and watch performances. If a scene was not performed to his liking, Ludwig would stop the opera and order the scene to be performed again until they got it right. Oh, Crazy King Ludwig.

Another fun feature on the grounds is the Moorish Kiosk. Ludwig purchased the tea house after seeing it at the 1867 Parisian Exhibition. It was shipped to Linderhof and Ludwig would visit often to smoke, play cards, and drink tea.

Garmish

2011-09-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

We spent the night in Garmish, another gorgeous town. We were too late to go up the mountain, so we just walked around the town and ate passion fruit quark (the most delicious yogurt I've ever tasted).

I took pictures of our room because it was really charming. We stayed on the top floor and everything was so cozy and cute. The view was also pretty amazing.

Mittenwald

2011-09-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

A small town famous for its violins, we stopped over to enjoy lunch and the town. We convinced Debbie to purchase a traditional dirndl (hopefully I can get a shot of her wearing it when we visit in November) and the rest of us loaded up on Haribo and Mao Mix candy at the local grocery store. All the while we were serenaded by a combination of church bells and violin street performers.

We're playing the violin, obviously.

The two that made this whole trip possible!

Innsbruck

2011-09-27T22:43:00.000-08:00

After the Salt Mines and the palace we drove to Innsbruck to stay for the night. It is nestled in a valley between the Alps and is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. We stayed in a narrow, three-story hotel decorated with carousel horses of varying sizes. They stuck the eight of us in a private room for dinner that night, so we could be obnoxiously loud and American without disturbing the other guests. The next morning we shopped and walked around the town.

Herrenchiemsee

2011-09-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

After the salt mines we took a boat to the Herrenchiemsee Palace, built by King Ludwig II. He was obsessed with the French kings, specifically Louis XV and Louis XVI, and this palace is modeled after Versailles. The whole palace is filled with paintings of French history and there is even a hall of mirrors like the one in Versailles.

We couldn't take any pictures inside, which was kind of a relief because I don't even know where I would have started. Absolutely everything was covered in gold leaf and paintings and cherubs and swans. It was over-stimulating and completely gaudy. Herrenchiemsee, while beautiful, is probably my least favorite of the palaces and castles we saw.

Herrenchiemsee was also home to the largest slugs I have ever seen. They were as long as my foot and the path to the palace was covered in them. If squishing a spider makes you squeamish, then you don't even want to imagine stepping on one of these suckers. Nasty.

The Salt Mines

2011-09-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

On our way to the salt mine entrance we heard bells ringing and looked up the hill to find this gorgeous church peeking through the mist. Of all the things I miss about Germany, the ubiquitous church bells are high on the list.

It was a rainy day, so we were glad to be inside for the morning. To get to the mines, we took a train through the tunnels and slid down a few slides. It was really fun. Everyone had to wear white protective clothes, which served to keep us clean and warm. Once in the mines, we watched a series of videos about the history of the salt mines. The videos were less informative and more entertaining, as they showed a reenactment of the wild story of the archbishop who gained his fortune from the mines.

During the boat ride over salt-saturated water things got really German, with techno music and colored lights flashing everywhere. It was pretty amazing.

All in all, this was one of my favorite activities of the trip.

Salzburg

2011-09-18T23:10:00.002-08:00

We stayed two nights in Salzburg at the Trapp Villa. Did you know that the movie The Sound of Music is based on a real story? The Von Trapps actually existed and Josh and I slept in the master bedroom. We all resisted the urge to wrap ourselves in the curtains and sing "A Few of My Favorite Things."

Our first night we walked around historical Salzburg and stumbled across two really great places- a gorgeous garden complete with Greek statues and a cool cemetery where Mozart's family was buried. Then we went to a marionette show, where five minutes after sitting down we ALL fell asleep. The lack of air conditioning, dark atmosphere, and opera music were no match against the jet lag. At one point I looked over and found Ed draped across his seat and the seat next to him. We left at intermission, had a bit of trouble getting out of our parking lot, eventually found dinner, then crashed at the Trapp Villa.

The next morning we toured Mozart's home, went to church (where a missionary offered a mildly interesting translation and commentary of the meeting), and walked around some more.

Then we crammed in a van for a Sound of Music tour with Bob's Tours. We visited a few sites from the movie and from the real Von Trapp history. I thought we would be staying in Salzburg, but the tour guide took us through a few small towns in the alps. We even got to go on an alpine slide, a fun and unexpected adventure. And if you want an example of the difference between America and Austria, none of us had to sign release forms and they let an 8-month pregnant Eileen go on the alpine slide without thinking twice. How's that for self-governing and no fear of a lawsuit?

After the tour, we took a 45-second funicular up to the fortress. Even though the fortress was closed, we still got a great view of the city.

Regensburg

2011-09-18T20:58:00.000-08:00

On our way to Salzburg we stopped in Regensburg to check out the architecture. Apparently the bridge and cathedral have a history, something about a bet over which could be built first. Each took several hundred years to complete and there is a legend involving the winner making a deal with the devil. And that is the end of my memory regarding the details our tour guide (Josh) told us while wandering the town.

Rothenburg

2011-09-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

Our first stop in Germany was the medieval town of Rothenburg, dating back to the 1200s. Our stay happened to coincide with a huge festival celebrating the end of the 30-year war. So in addition to the beautiful buildings, endless cobblestones, and 800-year old town wall, there were fireworks, a huge parade, and people dressed in medieval clothes singing German folk songs. Basically the whole evening was magical and Rothenburg remains one of my favorite places of the trip.

We learned the history of the town during the night watchman tour around the old wall. Then we ate the most divine dinner in the gardens of an 800-year old restaurant.

The next morning we climbed the wall, walked around, and watched the sun rise over the misty town.

While we were gone

2011-09-14T11:19:00.002-08:00

A few weeks before the Germany trip, Josh and I started to prepare Evie. We talked a lot about what would happen in Germany and Alaska during the ten days we would be gone. We showed her pictures of the places we were going and let her choose fun activities to do with my family. The girls went swimming, rode a train to the fair, visited the zoo, and were generally spoiled and loved by my family. My mom even suggested we let Evie bring her camera along to document the action in Alaska. When we returned home, Evie was very excited see our pictures and show us hers.

Both the girls were great the whole time. Charlotte was a little confused at first, but she adjusted well. Because we talked things over with Evie so much, she knew exactly what was going on. I knew the girls were in good hands, so the only thing I had to worry about was missing them. It was nice to fully experience Germany and know that my girls were in very capable, loving hands.

Deutschland!

2011-09-10T22:18:00.000-08:00

Josh and I returned this afternoon from our trip to Germany. We spent all day snuggling with our girls and trying to ignore the 10-hour jet lag. I am sorry that all I have to show right now is a picture I took while flying over Greenland. I am overwhelmed with the amount of pictures in my Germany folder and the new semester starts Monday, so documenting this trip might take a while. Although it is entirely possible that I will find myself wide awake and blogging at three in the morning because it feels like one in the afternoon. Let's hope that the four hours of sleep I've had in the last 24-hours will help me get back on track.

Two firsts

2011-08-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

First day of school.

First "First Day of School" picture on the front porch.

Celebrate!

2011-08-27T22:22:00.000-08:00

A few things

2011-08-22T20:23:00.000-08:00

- Josh and I love our high kitchen table. However, when we purchased the table three and a half years ago, we never imagined the trouble this table would present for the girls. Of the six chairs, four have been tipped over backwards with a little girl in them and broken. Thankfully, no little girls have been injured in said chair accidents. Seeing as Charlotte's climbing is almost completely isolated to our kitchen chairs and table, we're in the market for a replacement- something a little lower to the ground.

- In case you are wondering, Evie is responsible for breaking three of our chairs and Charlotte became the latest offender two weeks ago.

- By next Tuesday, three-quarters of our household will be in school. I decided to join a Joy School group and Evie is very excited to spend two days a week with Isaac, Adele, and Tobe.

- These last few weeks have been so busy with school and church and family. I am learning that the more I have to do, the more I get done. Although I still am not finding the time (or the will) to fold the laundry until after it's been on the couch for a week.

- The other day while Charlotte was eating a peach, she proclaimed several times, "I love you apple!" She then proceeded to kiss and hug her peach for several minutes. Sometimes kids do the craziest things. I love it.

- Josh and I leave for Germany very soon! The girls will be left behind in very capable hands (thank you to all our helpers!) and we will meet up with the other adult Lambs (and Rickers) in Frankfurt. From there we will drive around Bavaria, eat lot of German food, see lots of castles, and take lots of pictures. If you think my blogging has been a little lackluster as of late, wait around a few more weeks and I promise things will get interesting again.

Daddy's Work Picnic

2011-08-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

When I told Evie we were going to daddy's work picnic, she knew just what that entailed- face painting, pony rides, and treats. As an added bonus, Charlotte was big enough to join in all the festivities. A special thanks to my Aunt Marlene who helped take care of my wild girls. I couldn't have managed that level of excitement alone!

Lottie-loo

2011-07-29T22:41:00.001-08:00

After Evie left to go camping with Grandma and Grandpa, I came inside and asked Charlotte what she wanted to do.

"Watch a movie!"

She'd already settled herself on the couch with her blanket. And before I could even ask-

"Winnie the Pooh!"

She can be pretty clear when she wants to.

We spent the evening in the Hundred Acre Wood, occasionally dressing up and playing hide-and-seek (her new favorite game). Before bed she asked to snuggle and sing the ABCs a few times.

Looking back I wonder- when did my baby get so big?

One year

2011-07-26T08:00:00.001-08:00

Today marks the first day of my Year of School.

I took a break from school after having Charlotte and I was determined this break wouldn't be permanent. During my time off, BYU-I started an online degree program that Josh and I both qualified for. We applied and have been getting all our ducks in a row over the past few months. Today we both start classes for the summer term.

Aside from this summer term where I am only taking one class, I will be taking four classes a semester. I'm pushing myself because there is a very real end in sight. NEXT JULY. So for the next year I will be working hard to complete a degree that is long overdue.

Be on the lookout next July for a blog post with a picture of me in a cap and gown.

Riddikulus

2011-07-22T14:34:00.000-08:00

We had another Harry Potter party.

There was too much fun going on to waste time taking a million pictures, but (in case you're dying for more) anything I did capture can be found on facebook.

Really, I have just one thing to say in this post. I'm glad we have a host of family and friends willing to geek-out with us once a year.

On a short leash

2011-07-11T20:44:00.000-08:00

Outings with Charlotte have been a bit of a trial lately. She’s super independent and wants to walk on her own, which is a problem because she is also a runner. She will just take off without so much as a glance back. So for last week's trip to the zoo we pulled out the “monkey leash”, something I’ve resisted because of the weird looks given to people who “leash” their kids. And guess what? Not a single tantrum. No struggling. Hands down the best outing we’ve had in a long time. If that’s the price of a “leash”, I will gladly pay it.

Fourth of July Weekend

2011-07-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

My little brother, Kyle, runs the Mount Marathon in Seward every 4th of July. Instead of driving up early Monday morning, my family decided to camp in Seward the night before. I'm not going to go into detail about the camping experience with my girls, but I will say that one little girl proved herself very capable and one little girl did not. I'll let you decide which girl is which.

Kyle had a great race. Last year he ran to the top and back in 42 minutes and took 52nd place. This year he completed the run in 36 minutes and took 28th place. Kyle is a rock star. Pretty sure I would have a heart attack just climbing the mountain and I don't even want to think about the dangerous trip down.

It was a fun, albeit sleepless, adventure. Can't wait to go again next year!

*most iphone pictures taken by Evie

A favorite

2011-06-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

evening walk

2011-06-24T20:34:00.000-08:00

We took a very long walk through the neighborhood this evening. This is shaping up to be a pretty amazing summer. The midnight sun was out in full force, making 6pm feel like noon. How can 66 degrees feel so sweltering?

I love the wonky perspective in this photo. Makes me look like a giant, not an easy feat. And yes, my legs are pretty close to that shade of white. Try not to go blind.

The highlight of the walk was discovering a field of "beautiful, beautiful flowers." Leave it to my girls to turn a patch of weeds into a botanical garden.

Alaska Run for Women 2011

2011-06-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

My friend Rachel invited us to join her team for this year's Alaska Run for Women. Almost immediately our group became separated from hers and we didn't see them for the rest of the event. Kind of a bummer, but mom, Brittany, the girls, and I still had a good time. We walked with the 5-mile untimed group. Evie left the jogging stroller and joined us for the last 2 1/2 miles. Charlotte wanted to walk the whole way, but she's a little pokey and we didn't feel like taking an hour per mile so we took turns holding her. Almost 7,000 women participated in the breast cancer awareness event. It was pretty sobering to walk past those with pink bibs, marking a breast cancer survivor. I definitely plan on taking the girls again next year.

Face time

2011-06-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Evie's face in the bottom right picture reminds me of when she went through this lovely phase.

Another bookworm in the family

2011-06-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

When I saw Charlotte reading to herself on the couch, I quickly grabbed my camera and tried to stay inconspicuous while I snapped a few shots.

My mama's birthday

2011-06-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

My brothers and I planned a little (impromptu) surprise party for my mama's birthday yesterday. We met at the store to purchase the goods, then raced back to the house to get everything ready before mom came home from work. Kyle made brownies, I decorated the house with streamers and balloons, and Noah played with Evie. Charlotte managed to stay under everyone's radar and was found in the corner of the kitchen, shoveling fistfuls of flour into her mouth. Yuck.

The boys and I finished decorating and baking and cleaning with time to spare, so we all had fun with the noisy balloons while the girls ran around on the deck.

When mom arrived home she found two granddaughters, an origami rose, several birthday cards, a bag of dark chocolate, and brownies in the oven. Pretty much the best birthday-combo ever.

Birthday cake is great, but grandma's kisses are even better.

Three-and-a-half and one-and-a-half, respectively

2011-06-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

-A few weeks ago Evie wanted to run around the living room with Josh, but he was really tired. So he invited her to play "Tigers" with him, a game he made up on the spot. Wouldn't you know, it is now one of her favorite games. Want to know how to play? Find a sunny patch on the carpet or couch. Now lay down. Congratulations! You've mastered the game of Tigers. (Inspired by the two lazy tigers residing at our local zoo.)

-See that teeny dimple under her left eye? She's had that since birth. It used to be visible all the time, but now you can only see it when she squints or smiles.

-My Aunt Rebecca gave Evelyn a puzzle of the United States and she can now put the whole thing together by herself. When it's assembled, Evie sits and names which states everyone in our extended family were born and where they all currently live.

-Her ability to remember tiny details is not limited to states of birth and habitation. She can also list the eye color, favorite animal, and favorite color of everyone in our extended family.

-Two words: Space Invader. She will wedge herself between you and whatever is directly next to you- the couch, a pillow, your spouse. Or, if there isn't space to squeeze in, she'll just sit right on top of you.

-This little spit-fire has the cutest gap-toothed grin I've ever seen and when we say "smile!" she cheeses it like no one's business.

-Charlotte has a bit of a reputation in Nursery. Last Sunday her leaders told me she has a special gift for putting absolutely everything in her mouth. Toys, bits of paper, and miniscule findings from the floor in addition to everyone's snacks.

-I'm not sure how long it takes for a toddler to master walking in rain boots, but Lottie has not yet acquired that skill. Two steps... stumble. Two steps... stumble. Four steps... maybe she'll keep it together... two more steps... stumble.

-After getting used to Evie's diet of fruit and bread, I don't really know what to do with my little meat-and-potatoes girl. She'd rather have halibut than a strawberry? Pepperoni slices cause her to chase you around the room squawking for more? Charlotte didn't really eat half my chicken pot pie and then move on to eat half of Josh's, did she? I'm puzzled. Absolutely puzzled to find myself in a house with a child who will eat whatever is on my plate. What kind of game is she playing?

-I know we need to cut her off from The Bink soon, but I am legitimately afraid. Sometimes she gets a hold of two pacifiers and walks around with both in her mouth. That's the extent of her addiction. Josh and I are working on weaning her down to just naps and bedtime, but we haven't been super strict. Any tips and tricks for painlessly dumping the pacifier?

She believes

2011-05-26T09:35:00.000-08:00

When Josh and I announced we were planting a garden, Evie announced the garden needed a fairy house. For Tinker Bell to live in when she visits the mainland, of course. A wooden bird house, a little paint, a lot of glitter and we have a lovely house that any fairy would be lucky to call home.

Birds of a feather

2011-05-26T09:23:00.000-08:00

Charlotte has been really into dress-up lately. Every day she comes up to me holding the tu-tu and says in her little soprano voice, "On! On!" When I saw these bird wings I knew they would be perfect. So I pulled out the scrap fabric and whipped up a pair for both girls. Evie calls herself Peacock Girl and Charlotte is Owl Girl.

my little creative director

2011-05-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

She wouldn't let me put the camera away until she was satisfied with the outcome.

"I'll make a silly face. Take my picture!"

Click.

"Can I see it? Hmmm, how 'bout another one? Try again."

Click.

"Lemme see."

Big smile.

"That's a good one!"

What Jesus can do

2011-05-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

Lately, Evie has been asking a lot of questions about what Jesus can do. Can Jesus dance and spin around like her? Can Jesus blow bubbles and pop them? Would Jesus like to build puzzles with her? She is really trying to understand and questions like these pour forth all day long.

Today she asked Josh if Jesus likes to color. He told her to look outside and then proceeded to point out all the things Jesus created and colored and painted. And now she wants to talk with everyone about how Jesus painted all our faces the colors of the rainbow.

family gatherings

2011-05-11T11:43:00.001-08:00

The past few days have been filled with lots of family gatherings.

On Saturday we all congregated at Gallos for my cousin's graduation dinner. The aunts and cousins played pass-the-baby and Evie ate five chips and a piece of cake. It was a lot of fun!

On Mother's Day a bunch of us went to my mom's for dinner. Mom's only request was a picture with all her kids.

Last night we all gathered again at the Sullivan Arena for Kourtnei's graduation ceremony. As far as the actual ceremony, it was probably the least boring one I've ever been to. I enjoyed all the speakers (the student-chosen faculty speaker had me in tears) and the musical numbers were very pretty. I was able to enjoy everything because I didn't bring the girls, which would have been torture for everyone. It's been so nice to spend time will all my extended family. Congratulations Kourtnei!

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day! Mine was made special thanks to the two wonderful mothers in my life and the two darlings who made me a mother.

Happy

2011-05-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

These pictures are from a few days ago, but I just uploaded them from my camera. The girls were playing around on my exercising equipment, trying to lift the weights and balance on the Bosu. Charlotte was decked out in some goods from the dress-up basket, her new favorite thing.

I love my girls. They make me happy. Just wanted to share.

Today

2011-04-27T20:36:00.000-08:00

I love Alaska right now. The snow has mostly melted and it is almost warm enough to ditch the coats. Of course, by "warm" I mean the temperature is a few degrees past 50. Sunny with a slight, biting breeze. And it feels glorious.

Charlotte still has not learned her lesson about eating chalk. All those bright colors are just so very tempting and she cannot resist a bite or two. Chalk is usually the activity of choice when we go outside, which means the girls come inside covered from head (and lips) to toes in colorful smudges. The chalk held their attention for a little while, but today the true star was the front porch. Something about those steps really called to them. And then when Evie discovered the doorbell? Forget about it. There was nothing else to do but stand there and watch her ring it over and over. Then Josh came home and made a yummy pizza margherita.

While she was sleeping

2011-04-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

While Charlotte napped, Evie begged for some good ole picture takin'. Clearly, I couldn't resist that face. After one shot, she decided I needed to be in the picture, too. These next photos are the victims of weird crops and missed focuses that often accompany the self-timer, but I love them just the same.

Local entertainment

2011-04-18T22:01:00.000-08:00

Reading stories with the house favorite, Aunt Britty. She's always willing to play, there are yummy snacks in her room, and she let's Evie take endless pictures with her iPhone. Needless to say, the girls go nuts when she wakes up in the morning.

Playing dress up. You might think it impossible for a three year-old to fit into a size 9-month tiger Halloween costume, but you'd be wrong. And in heels, no less. The giraffe was there for moral support.

Moose watching. Everything stopped for thirty minutes while the girls watched our young neighborhood moose much on twigs in the backyard. Evie was also caught "cleaning" the back window (aka- fogging the window with her breath and then wiping it clean with her fingers).

Sunshine, monkey jammies, and wicker baskets

2011-04-13T21:19:00.000-08:00

Delicious

2011-04-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

At 11am Evie and I found ourselves still in jammies and craving something delicious. So we made Aunt Kathy's Double Chocolate Banana Muffins. Delicious indeed.

In case you are wondering, here is how Evie cracks an egg.

She makes sure the egg is nice and cold by testing the temperature on her cheek.

Then she attempts to crack the egg while touching the egg as little as possible.

When the egg eventually cracks and starts leaking egg white, she freaks out and drops the whole thing in the bowl.

I make her fish out the shell and, if you can believe it, not a single piece was left behind.

She tries to stay calm as more egg white gets on her hands. Eventually I take pity, put down the camera, throw the shell away, and clean her hands.

The egg wasn't the only messy part. Stirring in the cocoa is also tricky.

The only issue with stirring in the chocolate chips is making sure they actually end up in the batter and not, for instance, in a little girl's tummy.

A much needed shower later and we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.

I think Charlotte's reaction sums it up.

Friday Facts

2011-04-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

Lottie refused to nap today. This picture pretty much sums up her mood all day.

We lazed about all morning, reading books and taking pictures and snuggling.

When I say "we" lazed about all day, I mean Charlotte and me. Evie ran laps around us with energy only a three year old can wield.

She spend a good portion of the day jumping high while shouting for me to "take a picture!" Then she would run over and demand to see it on the camera.

In the afternoon we went for a walk in the glorious sunshine. Thank goodness for rain boots, because the girls insisted on jumping in every puddle.

We played "Eye Spy" in the neighborhood. Evie spied with her little eye a lot of mailboxes. Charlotte spied (and tried to eat) a lot of rocks.

Dinner consisted of PB&J sandwiches and fruit smoothies. The smoothies made everyone cold, so we all put on cozy jammies and got ready for bed.

It was a lovely day.

Sweet and Sour

2011-04-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

Some days she's sweet. Some days she's sour. Most days she's both. I'm glad my sister captured this sweet moment.

The Museums

2011-03-25T21:52:00.000-08:00

Armed with Chicago city passes, we visited the Aquarium, Planetarium, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute, and Children's Museum. In case you're wondering, yes, in five days we reached our culture quota for the year. We walked everywhere, which I like to think makes up for the fact that my girls spent the last three months inside. The weather forecast called for rain the whole time, but it only sprinkled the last day. Luckily, Debbie came prepared and we walked anyway.

The Conservatory

2011-03-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Debbie and I spent Saturday afternoon at a conservatory. For anyone getting the winter blues, I suggest visiting a conservatory. It was like a balm to my winter-chapped soul. It was fun to walk around the beautiful rooms and photograph something that doesn't run away when it sees the camera.

The City

2011-03-25T17:32:00.001-08:00

Like I said before, we stayed in the historic Hilton on the edge of downtown. The city completely fascinated me. The architecture is so beautiful and the sheer size of everything was crazy. It made me realize just how small-town Anchorage really is, despite it's geographic size.

Our first day we walked about 26 blocks through the "Magnificent Mile" to reach the Hancock Center, the fourth tallest building in Chicago. We took an elevator to the 95th floor and spent some time viewing Chicago from a unique vantage point. It terrifies me to think the windows are cleaned four times a year. As far as fears go, I'm not sure which I would hate more- being stuck in a shark tank in shark infested waters or cleaning windows 1,00 feet in the air.

The company

2011-03-25T16:47:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, the Chicago trip was about spending some one-on-one family time with Josh's parents. We got to see the professional side of Ed as we tagged along to some ACHE functions. Everyone knew Josh was related to Ed because they look so much alike. We couldn't attend everything, so while Ed was in class all day Debbie showed us around downtown Chicago.

The girls soaked up every moment with Pop Pop and Tu Tu, or according to Charlotte, Pop Pop and Mi Mou. Charlotte instantly became obsessed with Debbie's Mickey Mouse watch and started calling Debbie "Mi Mou" no matter how much we tried to correct her. She would say Tu Tu, but never when Debbie was actually around. Her talking really boomed on the trip and I think we counted around twenty new words.

Chicago

2011-03-25T13:14:00.000-08:00

Last week Josh's parents went to Chicago for business and invited us to come along, so we hopped on a plane just in time to miss the little snowstorm that hit Anchorage. Lately, everyone has been teasing us about going on so many vacations. The Caribbean for Christmas, Disneyland in February, Chicago in March, Germany in September.... Josh and I did a little math and it turns out this trip to Chicago was Evelyn's ninth and Charlotte's sixth. I guess we do travel a lot! And that's the way we like it.

We loved Chicago. Our hotel, the historic downtown Hilton, was gorgeous and the weather cooperated rather nicely. We visited two museums a day and ate a lot of delicious food. As usual, I took my camera and snapped a few hundred pictures. The next couple posts will cover our time in Chicago. Enjoy!

Before and After

2011-03-16T21:34:00.000-08:00

I got a haircut today and decided to take some before and after pictures. The before pictures turned out pretty normal, but an adorable little busy-body crashed the after pictures, totally upstaging my new 'do with her crazy expressions. Love that kid.

Brothers

2011-03-05T21:26:00.000-09:00

The brothers stayed over last night. We made Japanese gyoza and watched A Beautiful Mind.

Tonight is a repeat, but with some slight changes. Same snack, just one brother (Noah), and a movie with much less substance (the so-awful-it's-amazing Tenth Kingdom).

Fifteen months

2011-03-05T21:17:00.000-09:00

Josh and I have deciphered about twenty words so far. The most prevalent being no, uh-oh, and ball.

It is impossible to keep her off the fireplace. She loves to stand there and look out the big window and she laughs at me when I take her off. I'm not sure how the fireplace became a game to her, but I'm not having fun.

All day long she asks me to read the same two books- The House that Jack Built and Over in the Meadow.

I pulled out the 2T clothes last week. It's a little weird to see Charlotte in clothes that Evie was wearing when Charlotte was born.

Her hair is out of control and I think it's time to take her in to get it cut. I'd do it myself if I had any idea how to tame it, but I'm confident a professional can get it under control. However, I'm not confident in her ability to sit still.

She walks around with her tongue sticking out between her teeth. Apparently she gets it from her father, but let's hope she doesn't fall and bite her tongue like Josh did when he was little.

She's cut three out of four molars. I don't remember teething molars being an issue with Evie, but it is taking it's toll on poor Lottie. We'll all be glad when she is through teething for a while.

Every five minutes or so she comes up to me and asks for a hug. While hugging she pats my back and says, "Pat, pat, pat." I love her.

curly

2011-03-02T20:26:00.000-09:00

Evie loves to have her hair curled, so when I found a mystery bag of foam curlers under the sink I knew just what to do with them.

I have vivid childhood memories of my mother putting foam curlers in my hair for the night. I loved to have my hair curled and would endure the discomfort of sleeping with them in to achieve those curls. My mom would also style my bangs really big like hers with lots of hairspray. I guarantee every girl raised in the 80s and early 90s rocked the same look. Evie doesn't have bangs, so she's spared that part of the hairdo.

After we put the girls to bed Evie either got impatient or uncomfortable, because when she called out to use the bathroom I found all but two curlers in the back removed. Turns out she didn't really have to use the bathroom, she just wanted to see her curly hair. Silly girl.

Candy Land

2011-02-28T13:53:00.000-09:00

After teaching her to play and sitting through several rounds, Evie kicked Josh and I out of the game and explored the magical realm of Candy Land solo. Now she wins every time.

Piggy-tails and french braids

2011-02-20T20:39:00.000-09:00

Just some cute pictures of my girlies before they went to church and destroyed their hair. This is Charlotte's first go with piggy-tails. And, just like every other hairstyle, it was ripped out within the first hour.

Afternoon snack

2011-02-18T16:07:00.000-09:00

Aunt Brittany took the girls outside this afternoon for a little fun and a snack. Fresh snow can be quite delicious, don't you know?

When Charlotte's face turned bright pink she came inside to warm up with hot chocolate cocoa and Bambi, while Evie and Britty stayed outside and played.

a haiku

2011-02-13T21:38:00.000-09:00

snatch! speedy escape

the ring pop in her clutches

little sister wins

California, here we come!

2011-02-12T15:11:00.001-09:00

Josh and I planned to take the girls to Disneyland in October, but about three weeks ago he came home after a particularly cold work day and said, "Let's just go to Disneyland NOW!"

By that afternoon the trip was booked.

On Wednesday we went to California Adventure, where we were able to go on all the kid rides at least twice. The clear favorite was King Triton's Carousel, which we went on at least four times.

Evie really wanted to get her face painted and we were a little surprised when she chose the puppy face over all the flowers and butterflies. Well, she's the cutest puppy I've ever seen and some Japanese girls in the ferris wheel line even asked to have their picture taken with her.

The ferris wheel kind of freaks me out, but Evie and Josh convinced me to ride. I didn't realize we boarded one of the rocking gondolas until we were about a thousand feet up and our gondola started to swoosh back and forth across the steel beam. I tried to stay calm while the girls and Josh had a good laugh.

We spent a good portion of our day in A Bug's Land. We felt like little bugs in this over-sized garden, it was really fun.

While in Disneyland the next day Josh noted that this was his first trip to Disneyland without his parents. I asked him how it felt and he replied, "More expensive."

Evie was afraid of about 50% of the rides in Disneyland. Matterhorn, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Pinocchio, Snow White... Thank goodness for the Tiki Room, Tea Cups, and It's a Small World to balance things out.

The girls picked out some new Toy Story 3 friends to bring home. Evie chose Rex the dinosaur and Charlotte made it very clear she needed Lotso Huggin' Bear, who actually smells like strawberries.

The only character line we stood in was for Tinker Bell. It was a half hour wait, but I'm pretty sure Evie's life has been changed forever from this experience.

Goodbye Disneyland. You were a colorful, warm balm to our winter weary hearts.

5 YEARS!

2011-02-04T10:13:00.002-09:00

We had a divine dinner at Kincaid Grill last night, but the main event happens next week.

I'll give you a hint: Josh calls it our Anni-disney-versary.

the joy of love workshop

2011-01-29T16:07:00.002-09:00

Anyone who is interested in a little photography fun, head over to Willette Designs and sign up for the JOY of LOVE workshop. Three reasons to join:

1. Willette is graciously offering this class for FREE.
2. It only lasts through the month of February. That's small potatoes, you can totally commit to a month.
3. She sends a daily email with challenges and tutorials for capturing photos of the loved ones in your life. Who doesn't want to get better at doing that?

I don't think she has any camera or photography skill level requirements, so don't be intimidated by inexperience or lack of fancy equipment. There are two more days to sign up, so jump on it!

A new living arrangement

2011-01-26T20:27:00.000-09:00

Josh and I took a big leap and moved the girls into the same room. It's something we've been feeling should happen for a while, so yesterday we transferred Evie's stuff into Charlotte's room. I'm not gonna lie, the first night was a little rough. Every time Charlotte woke up (three times, by my count) and we went in to find her pacifier, Evie would roll over and give us a look that said, "Are you kidding me?"

How is the second night going? Well, I just listened at their door and heard laughter. Both girls were giggling like crazy at each other. I stood there for a while and the laughter just kept going.

So... at least they are enjoying the company! I'd rather they be sleeping, but I'll take laughing over crying if they insist on staying awake.

Her world

2011-01-22T22:21:00.000-09:00

I am quickly remembering what it means to have a toddler in the house. Specifically- a curious, walking, climbing, squawking toddler.

She discovered that when the floor heater vent is lifted, a gaping hole presents itself, begging to have objects dropped into it.

Evie and I are on constant fireplace duty, because in less than twenty seconds she can clear the toy baskets and climb from floor to fireplace to couch.

If anyone within the immediate area is eating, she makes it very clear that she is starving and cannot go on without at least half their food.

I recently realized the "cubby" in our bass speaker that she likes to mess with didn't have a back, thus leaving another gaping hole for her to hide objects in. Namely, four magnets, a pacifier, and a dozen duplos.

Yep, she's a toddler. The world is hers for the taking.

Sometimes

2011-01-18T20:02:00.000-09:00

...we have an encore of the crazy hair. Today was one of those days.

Raising the girls

2011-01-14T17:05:00.000-09:00

Last weekend I gave Little Miss a haircut. She was about as still as one would expect a three year old to be. Josh was very nervous, but it turned out cute. Naturally.

Little Lottie's hair is a whole other matter. The top is growing about three times as fast as the rest. If I don't loop it in hair ties it hangs about six inches in front of her face.

Evie is currently obsessed with puzzles. She sits at the kitchen table and builds for hours. I'm impressed both with her ability to sit at a task for so long and with her puzzle building skills.

Charlotte is currently obsessed with climbing. I thought the fireplace was an issue, but boy was I underestimating her "talent". The other day I left the room for two seconds and when I returned she was on top of the piano. Oh yes, this little girl is gonna be tricky.

As Charlotte's personality emerges, I realize more and more that my girls are very much individuals. In my mind I have a tendency to lump them together, but in reality they rarely do anything the same. As much as they look alike, their personalities follow very different paths. A book I'm reading mentioned the old notion that a parent's job is to mold their children into whatever parents want them to be. The author, a mother of nine, laughs at that idea. I echo her thought that we don't make our children who they are. Instead, we help them refine what they already are.

It is very clear that raising Charlotte will be a totally different experience from raising Evie. I don't know why this is such a revelation to me. I couldn't have predicted half the things Evie did, so why should I expect Charlotte to follow suit?

A Sunbeam

2011-01-10T17:28:00.000-09:00

Evelyn went to Primary for the first time last Sunday. We've been talking for the past few weeks about how she's not going to Nursery anymore, she's old enough to be a Sunbeam. She was definitely excited to go to church on Sunday and find out what being a Sunbeam involved. After church when I asked her how she liked Sunbeams she replied, "We ate goldfish crackers for snack!" That's pretty much a rave review, so I think Sunbeams was a hit.

the holiday post

2011-01-06T12:18:00.000-09:00

This year we spent the Christmas holiday with Josh's family. We all met up in Houston, took a bus to Galveston, and boarded a cruise ship destined for the Caribbean. After the cruise we spent a few days in San Antonio and the Lamb's house in Corpus Christi. It was so nice to leave the negative temperatures in Alaska and warm up in paradise!

It was one of those trips where someone always had a camera, but it wasn't always me. These are only pictures from my camera, so it doesn't cover everything. When I get the CD with everyone's pictures I will make a facebook album, in case you want to see even more.

Regarding seasickness and other diseases, I will just say this. A 24-hour stomach virus made it's way through two-thirds of the family and a few, including myself, got seasick during the sea days. It was not fun, but we all made the best of it and still had a great time.

These first pictures are from the bus ride to Galveston. The babies tried to catch up on sleep, the little girls snuggled together, and we all basically enjoyed spending time together before the intensity of the cruise.

The cruise ship was massive. I'd never been on a cruise, so I didn't really have a grasp on how gigantic the ship would be. Fourteen levels, ice skating rink, performing theater, movie theater, rock wall, in-line skate track, spa, gym, several restaurants, formal dining room, casino...

Massive.

Sleeping in the same room as the girls went surprisingly well. They adjusted to the schedule change pretty well, although there were still some break downs around nap and bedtime.

Our first port was in Cozumel, Mexico. Eileen, Chris, Becca, Debbie, and I ferried into the mainland and took a bus to the Mayan ruins in Tulum. The Mayans were really into astrology, so visiting on winter solstice was a big deal.

The next day we went to Grand Cayman. It had the least foreign feel of all the places we visited, aside from driving on the left side of the road. The Seven Mile Beach was gorgeous and hot. Evie, who's always been our little water baby, never left the ocean the whole afternoon. Charlotte was sick that day, so Josh and I took turns sitting with her in the shade.

Our last port was Jamaica. Becca, Chris, Eileen, Josh, and I had the most amazing time on our shore excursion. Ryan was sick that day, so unfortunately he missed out. Also unfortunate is that we couldn't bring any cameras because they would get wet, so I don't have any pictures of how absolutely gorgeous Jamaica is. The day was perfect. We got soaking wet hiking a waterfall, took a 15 minute tram ride to a mountain, rode a bobsled track through the jungle, and ate the most divine lunch of jerk chicken, rice, and beans. Perfect.

On Christmas Eve we all put on our matching Christmas jammies, read the Nativity story, and sang carols together.

On Christmas all fourteen of us went to breakfast in our jammies. People clapped, cheered, took our picture- basically we became celebrities. After breakfast we opened presents and did tributes (a little tradition in the family where everyone is in charge of making a tribute for someone else and performing it on Christmas). After tributes we took the girls to see Santa. Evie was excited right up to the moment we stepped onto the platform where Santa was sitting. Then she promptly buried her head in my neck and remained there until Santa was out of sight.

And this is where my footage ends. After the cruise we flew to Corpus Christi, opened stockings and gifts, and had a Bethlehem (aka- middle eastern) dinner. We drove to San Antonio and spent two days in lovely historic downtown. Then it was back to Corpus Christi for more family time and games. We made it back home to Alaska just in time to ring in the New Year with my family. I hope everyone also had a wonderful, family-filled a holiday!

A break

2010-12-07T13:47:00.000-09:00

Happy Holidays everyone! I just wanted to say that I will not be posting anything else until after the holiday season, so you don't need to waste time checking my blog for updates. Rest assured, I will return in a few weeks with far too many pictures of our Christmas and New Year festivities.

I am so grateful for the miraculous birth of the Savior. There is not a doubt in my mind that He really came to this earth, atoned for our sins, and provided a way for us all to return to live with Him someday! May we all remember Him during this wonderful season. Merry Christmas!

Wild animal

2010-12-01T22:35:00.000-09:00

During dinner my baby was shoveling fistfuls of mac n' cheese into her cute mouth when all of a sudden she decided that method wasn't effective enough.

So she went a different route....

Then she turned to me and bared her four teeth in her favorite goofy grin. And growled. Apparently dinner time brings out the animal in Charlotte.

I feel about because

2010-11-27T20:38:00.001-09:00

I would like to share some "I feel about because" statements regarding the girls' birthday bash.

I feel relieved because the party is over. It was great, but I'm glad it (and the preparations that accompanied it) are over.

I feel loved because so many friends and family were present.

I feel accomplished because the hungry caterpillar cupcakes turned out amazing (if I do say so myself).

I feel unprepared because twenty minutes into the party Charlotte made a huge "mess" and the only spare clothes were the leggings my baby sister bought her.

I feel unorganized because there are a lot of toys and clothes waiting to be sorted and put away.

I feel contented because the girls and I spent all evening playing with their new toys.

I feel confused because I can't believe how much the girls have aged.

I feel old because if their lives are speeding past so quickly, what does that say about my own life?

I feel blessed because these sweet girls are mine!

Wobble Wobble

2010-11-24T19:18:00.000-09:00

She took her first step!

It's that time of year

2010-11-16T12:48:00.002-09:00

The time of year when I tackle all my Christmas/birthday projects. It's a busy season for us, what with Thanksgiving closely followed by the girls' birthdays closely followed by Christmas. But just like last year, I am completely prepared. All I have left are little things like pockets and rosettes. The phrase "If ye are prepared then ye shall have no fear" really sums up how I'm feeling right now. So what have I been making?

High waisted birthday skirts for the girls. Can you guess what their party theme is from the fabric?

Market skirts for all the little Lamb girls' Christmas presents.

And this doesn't fall under Christmas or birthday, but I've also been busy making some shirts for the big HP premiere this week. We're Harry Potter nerds. We know it. We embrace it. We throw parties about it. We wear themed shirts to midnight premieres. Judge if you want, but I am almost as excited for Thursday night as I am for Christmas.

Not now, Mama!

2010-11-12T13:29:00.001-09:00

This picture might break your heart. But I'll let you in on a secret. It's all an act.

One second before I took this picture she was smiling. And once second after I took this picture she had already started to crawl away, babbling to herself.

This picture captures the new stage Charlotte has entered. The stage where she enjoys forcing a tantrum and derives pleasure in pouting. It is immensely entertaining and she knows it. Josh and I cannot help but laugh when she makes one of her sad faces.

Progress

2010-11-08T20:33:00.000-09:00

It's no secret that Little Miss is a seriously picky eater. For a long time we've struggled to get her to eat more than bread and fruit (junk food is obviously not being accounted for). Well, I am proud to say Evelyn is making progress.

Last month she started eating peanut butter- on bread, with apples or bananas, or just plain old straight peanut butter on a spoon. This was a big deal. She hadn't tried anything new in... I can't even remember how long. Around that time she also started eating plain peanuts. She was kind of tricked into it because they were offered with candy corn, but whatever.

And today? Today she tried a cashew and, much to my delight, requested more. And as if that wasn't enough, with dinner she ate a stick of cheese. She hasn't eaten cheese in a year and a half. Today was a big day, my friends.

I'm so glad she is starting to try the new things I offer her. It's a good feeling when I don't have to follow through on my threats. Because there was a time when she would rather skip dinner and go to bed hungry than try mashed potatoes. And while she still hasn't tried mashed potatoes, I am sensing a major shift in the balance of power.

Threefold

2010-11-05T17:24:00.000-08:00

My reason for already setting up Christmas decorations is threefold.

One: We will be gone for a portion of the holiday season, so we should make up for the lost time now.

Two: I had to go into the crawl space to put away Halloween decorations, so I might as well kill two birds with one stone and get the Christmas decorations out.

Three: We've already had snow for a week. If snow can come this early to Alaska, Christmas should be allowed the same courtesy.

That being said, Happy Holidays! October to New Year is my favorite time of year. We are ready to celebrate.

Hallow-Evie and Lottie-Pop

2010-10-30T21:36:00.000-08:00

New photo display

2010-10-20T16:16:00.001-08:00

The wall above our fireplace has needed a makeover since Charlotte arrived. It used to hang an old family picture, but Charlotte needed some space up there with the rest of us. I hemmed and hawed for a long time about what to do. Canvas? Three by three display? In the end I decided I wanted something inexpensive that featured pictures I've taken of the family and was easy to update. Some brown twine, wooden clothespins, burgundy spray paint, twenty 5x7 prints and voila! The garage is no longer my favorite part of the house to stare at.

Pumpkin carving

2010-10-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

Last night we carved pumpkins with my brothers and sisters. I know this first picture is blurry, but it doesn't need to be in focus for you to see Evie's initial reaction to gutting our pumpkin. She warmed up eventually and I think our haunted house looks a lot better than last year's Ariel pumpkin.

The apple doesn't fall far

2010-10-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

We put batteries in my old point-and-shoot and let Evie loose. I think Charlotte might go blind with the flash going off like crazy, but boy is Evie having fun. Sweet girl.

My girls

2010-10-15T13:09:00.001-08:00

Charlotte hasn't been looking herself lately. Something is missing.

Blue eyes? Check.

Pacifier? Check.

Chubby cheeks? Check.

Crazy hair? Um... crazy hair?

I'm afraid that with the added length and onset of winter her hair has finally settled down. Literally. Farewell, crazy hair. You've been an amusing feature over the last few months.

While taking pictures of Charlotte, Evelyn ran around the living room begging to have her picture taken. She slowed down long enough to capture this pensive look.

And then I caught this cute grin.

Ah, finally. She looked at the camera and smiled. It's a miracle!

Debbie comes to town

2010-10-10T22:18:00.002-08:00

In addition to amazing help from my side of the family, Josh's mom flew in from Texas for his recovery. She's been a great help and, needless to say, it has been a busy past couple of days.

Josh is notorious for asking his mother to puree a Big Mac when he had his wisdom teeth removed. Well, ten years have not changed him, because yesterday he requested liquid manacotti. His mom obliged. And then tried not to hurl, because surprisingly it smelled about as gross as it looked.

As far as Evie is concerned, Debbie came solely for her. Evie has been soaking in as much time with her Tu Tu as she can. They've been caught camping out in the hallway reading Five Little Pumpkins with Evelyn desperately trying to learn the song.

Evie taught Debbie her "rules" for Hungry Hungry Hippos. Apparently it's kosher to physically lift the hippo's mouth and manually insert one of the white balls.

Recall how Evie's been sleeping on the floor in the jungle hut? I was cleaning her room and realized it will safely fit on her bed. It only took me two weeks to come up with that solution. Anyway, here are some pictures of Evie and Tu Tu all cozy for her bedtime story. We're so glad Debbie is here!

Goodbye forever, tonsils!

2010-10-06T14:17:00.001-08:00

Josh had his tonsils removed this morning. When the doctor uses words like "pockmarked" and "puss" and "pathology" you know it was a necessary procedure. I won't go into details, but apparently it was pretty gnarly in there.

Being present while Josh came off anesthetics was a treat. He was very polite, I'll have you know. And grateful. So very grateful. He kept thanking the nursing staff for the amazing drugs, the hospital blankets, the procedure itself, etc. A few things I want to remember:

"I love hospital blankets. I am all about hospital blankets"
"Life is better with chemicals." He must have said that about twelve times.
Josh's earnest conversation with the nurse about his fear of overdosing on water. He was very concerned about being over-hydrated.
"I can feel myself talking too much, but I can't seem to access the part of my brain that will shut me up."

The ride home was less enjoyable. He barely made it home before succumbing to the nausea. And now he's asleep upstairs, poor thing. Please keep him in your prayers.

Little Miss

2010-09-29T13:11:00.001-08:00

She wears a costume every day.

Many nights she goes to sleep in costume.

Today she is a fairy who wears Harry Potter glasses. Naturally. And she can't fly because her wings are wet, but she's not sad because she loves her jack-o-lantern purse.

We decorated for Halloween yesterday. She promptly claimed the jack-o-lantern bucket as her purse. It accompanied us to Costco today filled with her camera, a pumpkin candle, and two lemon hairclips.

My favorite sound right now is when she sings "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. It's a terribly heartfelt and tragic rendition. She feels Ariel's anguish.

About a week ago she stopped sleeping in her bed. She piled all her blankets and stuffed animal "friends" between the foot of the bed and the wall. It became an issue when she started messing with the internet cord, so I made a little fort with her jungle hut in the middle of her room. I don't think she'll ever sleep in her bed again.

Nine months

2010-09-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

Charlotte's nine month checkup happened a few weeks ago. She's 19 lbs and 29 inches long, crawling and babbling like a pro. I am kind of in denial that her next checkup will be the big One Year Appointment. What? How? She is just growing so fast!

We just love her to pieces, from the tip of her chubby toes to the ends of her wild hair. She pretty much has this entire household wrapped around her finger, including Evelyn. Except when Evie is building towers. Then Charlotte should just steer clear. But for the most part, her cute little smile melts all our hearts.

A report

2010-09-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

Things are looking up, but we're not completely recovered around here. Yesterday morning I went to wake Evie up and found her completely zonked out on the lambskin rug. When she awoke I was informed she had a hole in her mouth and needed blue medicine. My recovery is about a day ahead of Evie's. Josh has been well for several days, but his reprieve is short- he's getting his tonsils removed in two weeks. Yuck.

And yes, Evie went to bed in her regular clothes with jammie pants underneath the skirt. You pick and choose your battles when you've been sick for two weeks.

Imagination Library

2010-09-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

While at a carnival at the library a few months ago, I signed the girls up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Each month my girls both get a free book in the mail that is catered to their age. I just thought I would share this program because it's been such a hit with Evelyn. She loves getting something in the mail and the fact that it's a book makes it all the better. Both girls will keep getting books until they turn five. The books are great quality and so far they are all new stories to us.

A bit about...

2010-09-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

how our household handles the flu.

Uninhibited, Charlotte makes a giant mess.

She also gets stuck in the applesaucer a lot and gets very angry about it.

Evelyn wears her "sick outfit", which consists of her pink necklace and the Harry Potter glasses. She also makes "music that sounds like a musical instrument" when she breathes from her nose. A few days later she decided the musical instrument was a tuba.

Meanwhile, Josh and I just try to survive despite the fevers, body aches, sore thoats, etc. We take Advil round the clock, sleep whenever possible, and count ourselves lucky that it's just the flu and will pass quickly.

A wedding in Portland

2010-09-12T23:44:00.000-08:00

Last week I flew to Portland to be bridesmaid in my friend's wedding. The night before the main event we had a little girl's night, which entailed some golfing at the driving range and dessert at Portland City Grill. Most of us had never been golfing before. I'm sure we provided a ton of entertainment (or annoyance) for the workers and other golfers.

Let me just clarify something. I am horrible at sports. It's fine. I've embraced my lack of athleticism. Therefore, I am not embarrassed to confess that I whiffed it about 30 times before making contact with the ball. And one time it bounced off the gate and hit me in the knee really hard. But I still had fun. And the yummy dessert afterward didn't hurt either.

The next day was filled with much scrambling and racing in the morning, followed by a beautiful wedding in the Portland Temple, followed by even more scrambling and racing to put together the reception, followed by delicious food and wonderful company in the evening. My feet still hurt. But it was completely magical.