Ouch!

Too Much Blogging

I must be blogging too much. Last night, I was too warm in bed and dreamt of the blogger dashboard. I kept looking for the link to take off my blanket.

Resourcefulness

We had bagels for breakfast. Michael was in the kitchen while I was getting things out and he was anxious for breakfast. He asked for food and I told him I'd toast him a bagel in a minute. He grabbed one and said, "I'LL toast a bagel" and ran over to the toaster. I thought, "He can't fit it in the toaster, so I'll just let him try until I get a chance to take care of it for him," but I underestimated his resourcefulness. He broke his bagel into bits and stuffed them in individually.

The Weekend

Fifiteen years ago Friday, Stan proposed. He brought me flowers and we had bratwurst for dinner. We went to a German deli that eventful day in 1992, so we like to re-eat the memories each year.

Saturday, we went to San Onofre State Beach. It is an historic surfer spot and we saw lots of surfers yesterday.

Speaking of surf, Michael was afraid of the waves and insisted Stan carry him most of the time we were there.

Kelly dragged this rock by the seaweed attached to it down the beach a ways.

Heather also found a piece of seaweed attached to a rock. It was easier to carry than Kelly's piece.

There is a nuclear power plant at one end of the beach.

Michael wanted me to take a picture of his sand. It is a compromise we often employ when the kids want to take something home we'd rather not have in the house, "No, you can't take that in the car, but do you want me to take a picture for you to keep?"

Which also explains this picture of Gwen with a wad of seaweed.

The tide got lower and lower while we were there and uncovered all kinds of interesting treasures.

Our favorites were the sea slugs.

Here's another one that was smaller, but prettier.

Here is Gwen with a snail. Notice her green shirt - Happy Belated Saint Patrick's Day!

Kelly carried this slug around for a while. She even let Michael pet it - lucky!

Naomi was one month old yesterday. She is growing up and looking more like her parents everyday. She is getting acne like her mother and is going bald like her father! We still think she's the cutest baby on the planet, though.

The kids found a recently dead, still stinky crab. Here is Rachel with one of the claws.

Here are Heather's feet next to it. It was big!

Summer got her hair cut last Saturday and we've had requests for pictures. She's rather windblown, but you get the general idea. It's cute hair.

We had a tailgate party back at the car and ate brownies.

Here's one last picture, even though it isn't very good, photowise. Naomi is just beginning to smile socially, but those gems of adorability and dimples are still rare.

Multitasking

Heather will be a good mother. She already has down one of the most important skills - multitasking.

Anniversary

Thirty years ago today, I was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That event set me on the path to happiness I enjoy with my wonderful family. Life isn't perfect, but it is good. Thanks Mom and Dad loving me, putting up with me, and raising me in the Church.

It's a Zoo Around Here...

...or a barnyard...or something. Michael is a cow today (his all time favorite clothes) and Naomi is a bunny. Too cute...or two cute...or something!

Sisters Taking Care of Each Other

Friday night, Naomi was still up after 10:00 wanting to be held. Summer offered to take care of her while I got ready for bed. When I was done brushing my teeth and hair and washing my face and feet, I went to get the baby and let Summer go to bed. I found them both asleep on the couch. I took this picture at 10:41 p.m. I wonder who was out first?

Saturday night, Summer was ready for bed, I was not and Naomi was up and wanting to be held. Summer offered to hold her while I got ready and it was déjà vu all over again. I took this picture of the same corner of the couch at 10:41, exactly 24 hours later. Maybe Naomi is on a schedule.

Dirty, Clean, Messy Again

Yesterday, Michael played with his sisters in the backyard for a while. They found an orange that had fallen off the tree and Michael wanted to eat it, but he was too dirty to consume anything without major contamination occurring.

It took two applications of baby shampoo and countless cups of water dumped over his head to get him clean. The water was grayish brown when we were done and had nameless backyard things (in addition to the orange) floating in it.




When he was all shiny clean and dressed, it was time for lunch. At the end of the meal, he was left with a cup that had an inch and a half of milk in it. He was just about t o exit his high chair in his usual fashion, by sliding down under the tray, when I told him, "Finish your milk before you get down or I'll have to dump it in the sink."

He grabbed his cup, took a big swallow and said, "I'll dump it in the sink!" He then proceeded to leave his high chair with the cup in his hand, revealing gloppy graham cracker pieces and bits of chewed up apple mixed with the milk that showered his hair, face, shirt and high chair, while I was hollering, ineffectually, "Leave the cup on your tray, leave it on the tray!!!"

So much for the clean boy!

Baby Faces, Squishy Faces

Sunday afternoon is a good time for pictures :)

Awake at 4 a.m.

Yep, Naomi thinks it is time to be awake, awake, awake instead of asleep, so what to do but blog? She seems to like the computer screen, so here we are.

And here is Gwen, curling her hair, with a curler of her own invention on Friday.

Yesterday, we went out as a family for the first time since Naomi was born and consequently, had to take two cars - a milestone of sorts. We headed to the pet store, but Summer saw the music store next door, so we started there. Each of our pianists picked a new book of music to bring home.

The reason we went to the pet store was so that the four oldest girls could each pick a goldfish for a pet as a reward for getting ready for bed on time last week. So they each chose one out of the feeder fish tank and made the poor minimum wage, over wrought employee catch their specific fish.

Michael had fun watching the long, drawn out process.

And if you are wondering why there aren't pictures of Naomi, she was in the baby sling (I love it - New Native) the whole time I had the camera out. The one picture I took was an out of focus blob. Oh well, another time :)