In Seattle

Our super awesome niece Cara performed in the Washington Junior High All State Choir concert on February 19 and we were excited to go down south for the day to see her and the rest of the Segos.  Of course, going down to Seattle usually necessitates a visit to Ikea.  Benjamin has asked me at least every other week for the past 6 months if we could go to Ikea (because they have an awesome play place for kids) so it was nice to finally be able to say yes!  While we were there we bought a large area rug for our apartment in Ketchikan (yep, still going there, just not so soon now), which has hard floors all over.  I must say I was a bit disappointed in the rug selection at Ikea.  I expected better.

Anyway, after a hot dog lunch at the Ikea food court we met up with "our cousins," as Benjamin and Rhett call them, and had a fun little time walking about the Seattle Center.  (After paying $12 for parking there's little else to do...)

Benjamin and Breton take turns being the fish

Paul and Landon chat and stroll

The day was beautiful and sunny, but cold

The kids all wanted to climb on the whale tale, but this is about as good as it got.

Landon called these pictures "poor man's memories," since none of us could actually pay to go up the Space Needle.  But we were there!

While the venue for the choir concert wasn't ideal and we didn't get to actually hear most of Cara's performance, Paul and I did get to listen to the last two songs and they were great!  It was totally worth the trip, even if we hadn't heard a single note of song.  Thanks again, Segos!  It's always a good time!

Making Valentines

A few days before Valentine's we got out our paper and scissors and went to work on Valentines to send off to grandmas and grandpas and other people we love.  Benjamin practiced writing his letters, copying words I wrote on a separate paper.

To Grandma and Grandpa Duersch we sent this brown heart (mostly) cut out by Benjamin and stamped all over with little green alligators.

He wrote all of the letters of his name... never mind that they're out of order.

Grandma Key got a little pop-up heart number.

He added a tic-tac-toe game as well.

Grandpa Key got a simple cut-out heart (again by Benjamin) and a vertical "I love you."  (Benjamin was getting bored by this point and wanted to change things up.)

He wanted to make his name more interesting as well, writing first the E, then the B, then the N.

When we came to the end and needed to make one for Great Grandma Sanders (who always sends us fun decor to brighten up the Valentine holiday) Benjamin suggested that we just go outside and find some flowers and send them to her in the mail.  But a lack of flowers in February led us to make a flowered paper heart instead.

I was impressed with Benjamin's willingness and his patience for writing those letters over and over.  By the end he was done, but it was fun while it lasted.

Valentines

 Much of the Valentine love in our house was expressed through food this year.

Love-you heart pancakes in the morning...

for these two loves of mine:

Even our Costco pizza was full of love.

And a giant cookie to finish things off.

 Not to mention the pasta machine that Paul gave me that turned out some pretty delicious noodles for dinner the next day.

I need to remember to get the pictures from my phone later so I can post about the Valentines that Benjamin made for his grandparents.

Are you a Jimmer Jammer?

I am.



(Jimmer Jammer Guitar/Back-up singers: Shawn Bradley, Chad Lewis, & Lavell Edwards.)


"His name is as versatile as his game. It's a noun: An Arizona fan praised the Wildcats' defense for not letting a big-time scorer "pull a Jimmer." It's a verb: YOU GOT JIMMERED! read a sign waved in the BYU student section. It's an adjective: "He was making some Jimmer Fredette threes!" gushed Syracuse's Scoop Jardine about the six bombs Cincinnati's Dion Dixon hit from beyond the arc. Jimmer has several definitions in the Urban Dictionary, including this: One who is in range as soon as he steps off the bus."
-KELLI ANDERSON SI.com

Blankets for the Baby

 One of the great parts about having a girl is that I have things to make.  A boy would already have everything he needs because of Benjamin and Rhett.  But while I'm sure a girl would be just as warm and snuggly in a blanket patterned with footballs and basketballs, wouldn't it be nice to have something a little more feminine?

As soon as Christmas was done I was excited to start on some baby projects.  I've only done two so far, and other matters are starting to take precedence, but it's a start and I love how they turned out.

The first is a simple cotton blanket perfect for a nursing cover or letting baby play on the floor.  It should work for swaddling too, if this baby will stand for that.  Paul's sister Marianne first made me one like this when Benjamin was born, and then another for Rhett, and they were well-used.  I think this one will be, too.

I followed instructions and tips from this blog and this blog to make this flowery four-layer flannel blanket. Just like they said it would, it took a lot of time to make!  But it definitely wasn't hard, which was great.  I have the materials to make another one, but I haven't decided to go ahead yet because of the time commitment.  Even so, it was worth it and I hope this blanket gets a lot of use over the years.

Did you know...

...that Paul and I have moved every year since we were married?

First stop: 791 Wymount Terrace, June 2005.  I loved living here so much that I cried when we decided to leave.

Next, Deseret Towers, T Hall, June 2006.  DT was a big part of my BYU experience.  I loved it.  I get teary when I go back to where it was.  Can you blame me?  Paul and I first met (on our blind date) at DT.  T Hall was Benjamin's first home.  I only wish I could explain the many, many reasons why Desert Towers has a special place in my heart.

(Okay, I don't really miss the mini-kitchen with no counters.)

(Or this wallpaper.)

In August of 2007 we moved into Wyview and shared a building with freshman boys.  Interesting experience, to say the least.

Then in July of 2008 we left our BYU home for a new one in Bellingham, Washington.  This house on Cherrywood Ave. was a great place for us.

In June of 2009 we packed up again and moved to Juneau, Alaska.  This single-wide trailer is probably the least-favorite place I've ever lived, even when counting the home I stayed in in rural Honduras with no electricity or modern plumbing.

After Juneau we moved back to the Cherrywood house, and then in April of 2010 we purchased our first home in Lynden, Washington.

 So after six moves in less than six years of marriage, wouldn't it be appropriate to continue the trend?




Next stop:  Ketchikan, Alaska, sometime around April 1, 2011.  And this time it's not just for the summer.

We are now accepting guesses  for how close to that date our baby will be born.  We'll talk about good (bad?) timing later.


*EDIT*  Since someone asked I thought I'd clarify:  It's not a permanent move (thank goodness).  It should be for about one year.  We're not selling the house, but we ARE looking for renters!  Any takers?

Once there was a snoman

 Benjamin anxiously awaited the snow for weeks and weeks this winter because he wanted to build a snowman, and was finally rewarded mid-January.  He made sure I knew that the snowman needed a carrot for a nose.

By the time we were done Benjamin wasn't very happy (mainly because he had put his mittens in the freezing water--twice).  And even though the snowman was almost completely melted by the next day, it was fun to make.

Bathtub Art

 With a forecast of major snow heading our way, Paul opted to take our 4-wheel-drive vehicle to work, just in case.  Since that's the car I usually drive the boys' car seats were inside, leaving us home bound for the day.  Something I really need to work on is being more creative with activities for the boys at home.  I too often fall back on PBS Kids games online for lack of better ideas.  But knowing we'd be home all day, and also that I couldn't remember the last time either child was bathed, I pulled this idea out of the cache in my brain (and my crafty bookmarks folder) and tried it out.  It was an overall success, but I'll tweak the recipe next time.

 

Can you tell what the boys' favorite colors are?

Cleanup was simple (even though I still had to do most of it) and even left the tub a bit cleaner than before (definitely a plus).

The basic recipe in the link is this:  Mix 2 T. cornstarch and 1/4 c. liquid dish soap with a few drops of food coloring until smooth.  Then add 2-3 T. water and start painting.  Next time I'll leave out the water so the paint stays on the walls, or add only a tiny amount if it needs it.

Suggestions for other indoor (hopefully non-messy/non-baking) activities would be greatly appreciated!  (I have come to just admit the fact that I have almost zero patience for cooking with small children.  Maybe I'll be better when they're 12.)