Making It Snappy
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Happy (early) Birthday my darling Emiline! I really wanted a good mommy/baby picture, and my sister-in-law did fabulously snapping this shot! (needs some cropping, though)
Making It Snappy
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Introducing a series of posts that is almost entirely really good (for me) pictures that are (or at least I find) funny, memorable, or really quintessential pictures of our little family:
Making It Snappy
An attempt to compensate for my very poor posting this summer, back-dated as to when they where taken.
When life gives you buckets, make bucket helmets! ("So we can be safe!" -thanks Dora)
Making It Snappy
An attempt to compensate for my very poor posting this summer, back-dated as to when they where taken.
When life gives you buckets, make bucket helmets! ("So we can be safe!" -thanks Dora)
Making It Snappy in Seattle
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For my little Bro's wedding, we had a reception in Seattle and so me, the kids, the parents, and little Sis all drove up to Seattle. Can I hear a shout out for my adventurous family? They were all like, "sure! bring your two toddlers on a 12 hour car trip to stay for two days in a stranger's house and then drive back! You know, after making the cross country trip just a few weeks ago..." Very brave, they are! and my kids did great! (or they did in retrospect ;-) Really, though, we had a lot of fun. Here's just a few of my favorite pictures (none of which I took, little Sis gets all the cred).
First we have Emiline trying to eat what was left of her pink poodle balloon a street clown guy made for her. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it says on the package that balloons are choking hazards. Isn't everything? She was supervised and she was mostly fascinated by the sound her gums made on the rubber, or whatever balloons are made of.
Here is Jane giving said balloon (which we'd taken away from Emiline by this point and given to Jane, so she had two) to the daughter of a street musician at the Seattle Space Needle. We went there mostly because a train ride sounded like fun to the little Sis and the kiddos. But it was quite pretty. Anyway, Jane felt bad the girl didn't have one, so gave her the extra. There was probably some persuasion involved, but it made a cute picture regardless. Jane is SO white!
Then we have my all time favorite: The bus stop pictures. I don't know what exactly about these pictures that is so cool, but seriously, aren't these awesome? I love the color contrasts in them. And that's the only why I've got.
First we have Emiline trying to eat what was left of her pink poodle balloon a street clown guy made for her. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it says on the package that balloons are choking hazards. Isn't everything? She was supervised and she was mostly fascinated by the sound her gums made on the rubber, or whatever balloons are made of.
Here is Jane giving said balloon (which we'd taken away from Emiline by this point and given to Jane, so she had two) to the daughter of a street musician at the Seattle Space Needle. We went there mostly because a train ride sounded like fun to the little Sis and the kiddos. But it was quite pretty. Anyway, Jane felt bad the girl didn't have one, so gave her the extra. There was probably some persuasion involved, but it made a cute picture regardless. Jane is SO white!
Then we have my all time favorite: The bus stop pictures. I don't know what exactly about these pictures that is so cool, but seriously, aren't these awesome? I love the color contrasts in them. And that's the only why I've got.
Another Jane Quote
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My younger sister is here in Idaho taking her R&R from Afghanistan early because of the death in our family (hopefully I'll post on that soon). It's been fun to hear her enjoy my kiddos, kind of a fresh view on them. She told me to post this one:
while lotioning up Jane's flaring eczema (BTW- if any of you have an suggestions for treating that, please send them my way!):
Jane: Mom! Emiline is trying to get my lotion!!
Me: It's OK, she's just curious.
Pause
Jane: She's not a monkey!
Have I really never used the word curious outside of Curious George stories??? Time to fix that!
while lotioning up Jane's flaring eczema (BTW- if any of you have an suggestions for treating that, please send them my way!):
Jane: Mom! Emiline is trying to get my lotion!!
Me: It's OK, she's just curious.
Pause
Jane: She's not a monkey!
Have I really never used the word curious outside of Curious George stories??? Time to fix that!
Enthusiasm
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written 7.9.2011
Rhys:
The Welsh spelling of Reese.
Means "enthusiasm"
Is Emiline's middle name.
Describes her perfectly.
In a class on the New Testament when I was still pregnant with Jane, I learned that the Greek word entheos which usually gets translated into "enthusiasm" means "God in us." I'm not a terribly enthusiastic person, and I admit that in the past, in my more cynical years, people inclined to enthusiasm sorta rubbed me the wrong way. Kind of like the grateful game. However, I have since learned the awesomeness of enthusiasm. Anyone can be a cynic, that's easy. But it takes real inventiveness, real humility, love, and passion to be positive, grateful, and enthusiastic. And that kind of energy builds like a wave, washes over others, and makes a difference. "God in us" becomes "God in them." What more could I hope for in a child?
When I found out the meaning of Rhys was "enthusiasm," I became a bit enthusiastic. And since Emiline started kicking me at 12 weeks, it seemed likely that it would fit. In her life thus far, she's definitely demonstrated a zestful enthusiasm, from the way that she screamed as a newborn, to the way she learned to walk and move, and the way she plays and gives hugs, kisses, and loves, she does it all with enthusiasm. Including bathing. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm doesn't always photograph well. In some pictures her excitement looks more like crazy.
Rhys:
The Welsh spelling of Reese.
Means "enthusiasm"
Is Emiline's middle name.
Describes her perfectly.
In a class on the New Testament when I was still pregnant with Jane, I learned that the Greek word entheos which usually gets translated into "enthusiasm" means "God in us." I'm not a terribly enthusiastic person, and I admit that in the past, in my more cynical years, people inclined to enthusiasm sorta rubbed me the wrong way. Kind of like the grateful game. However, I have since learned the awesomeness of enthusiasm. Anyone can be a cynic, that's easy. But it takes real inventiveness, real humility, love, and passion to be positive, grateful, and enthusiastic. And that kind of energy builds like a wave, washes over others, and makes a difference. "God in us" becomes "God in them." What more could I hope for in a child?
When I found out the meaning of Rhys was "enthusiasm," I became a bit enthusiastic. And since Emiline started kicking me at 12 weeks, it seemed likely that it would fit. In her life thus far, she's definitely demonstrated a zestful enthusiasm, from the way that she screamed as a newborn, to the way she learned to walk and move, and the way she plays and gives hugs, kisses, and loves, she does it all with enthusiasm. Including bathing. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm doesn't always photograph well. In some pictures her excitement looks more like crazy.
Obituary for Mallory Beth Monroe
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from minicassia.com
Mallory Beth Monroe, the 1-year-old daughter of Matt and Shannon Turner Monroe of Burley, passed away peacefully in her daddy’s arms in the early morning hours of May 3, 2011.
Our beautiful Mallory came into this world on Jan. 11, 2010, determined to change our lives forever – and she did! Though Mallory lived only 15 short months, this dark curly haired, big blue eyed, porcelain skinned little girl shared with us and others what heaven is truly like. Within milliseconds of seeing her, we knew she would face challenges on this earth that most of us wouldn’t agree to if we had the choice before coming to this life. Her smile could melt a glacier.
She leaves with faith-filled broken hearts her parents, Matt and Shannon Monroe and siblings, Abby, Kate and Luke all of Burley; her grandparents, Gary and Glena Turner and Lloyd and Julie Monroe all of Burley; her great-grandparents, Lovell and Beth Turner of Declo, Ralph (LeNore) Henderson of Bountiful, Utah, and Miriam Monroe of Beaver, Utah; and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins who simply adored her.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 7, at the Burley LDS 3rd and 7th Ward Church, 2200 Oakley Ave., with Bishop Steve Garn officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.
Friends and family may call from 7 until 8 p.m. Friday at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Saturday at the church.
Easter, Part II
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written 7.10.2011
Our actual Easter was pretty uneventful. My parents were in Seattle for my soon-to-be sister-in-law's endowment. Eric was still in Minnesota. So my little sister Melisa and I decided it was too depressing to have Easter without everyone. We waited and did it on May 1. I swear, before I got married, I never did this celebrating late thing. Now it seems like I do it all the time...
It was still pretty simple a week later, I didn't do any of the traditions I've been thinking and planning forever; just like Christmas traditions, we'll have to take baby steps. We did have very simple Easter baskets for the girls when we got home from church, which I didn't take pictures of. But we did wear our Easter dresses, which I took pictures of. Sorta.
My kids are really starting to play more and more together, and it's so much fun to watch them bond. It's also a LOT of work to help them play nice and continually model how to share and how not to take things away from each other, etc, etc. I'm hoping that it'll pay off in the end. So far, I'm of the opinion of training early--reverence, obedience, cleaning up after yourself, independence, potty teaching...etc. Even as I write this, I'm wondering if I'll look back on this and laugh (or if any of you seasoned mommas out there will) and say "oh, how cute." You know, the way that hip hairstyles from the 70s and 80s are "cute."
Our actual Easter was pretty uneventful. My parents were in Seattle for my soon-to-be sister-in-law's endowment. Eric was still in Minnesota. So my little sister Melisa and I decided it was too depressing to have Easter without everyone. We waited and did it on May 1. I swear, before I got married, I never did this celebrating late thing. Now it seems like I do it all the time...
It was still pretty simple a week later, I didn't do any of the traditions I've been thinking and planning forever; just like Christmas traditions, we'll have to take baby steps. We did have very simple Easter baskets for the girls when we got home from church, which I didn't take pictures of. But we did wear our Easter dresses, which I took pictures of. Sorta.
My kids are really starting to play more and more together, and it's so much fun to watch them bond. It's also a LOT of work to help them play nice and continually model how to share and how not to take things away from each other, etc, etc. I'm hoping that it'll pay off in the end. So far, I'm of the opinion of training early--reverence, obedience, cleaning up after yourself, independence, potty teaching...etc. Even as I write this, I'm wondering if I'll look back on this and laugh (or if any of you seasoned mommas out there will) and say "oh, how cute." You know, the way that hip hairstyles from the 70s and 80s are "cute."
Catching Up
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Since I'm turning this blog into a book, and since so much happened in May and we traveled so much in June, I'm going to be writing a series of posts retroactively, but posting them in order of events, thanks to the "Post Options" function on Blogger. I will be writing these in the next few weeks (June 26-July 10) but I will date them closer to the time they occurred. I can't just fake that I wrote them on time because these are memories now. So I will also be writing in the body of the post when it was written. Go ahead, call me an English nerd. I am!
Easter. Kinda.
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Man, this was the lamest law school holiday to date! I knew we were missing Easter as a family since I would be in Idaho helping with the wedding stuff. But then, on the actual day of Easter, my parents where also gone and Eric and I were like too pathetic puppy-love struck teenagers missing each other too much to celebrate anything. And we didn't even have a normal church service to attend, but a regional conference was scheduled that week, which would have been fine if it was my region, but I still feel like a visitor. However, my last Sunday in Minnesota, I had the girls where their Easter dresses and we attempted to get a family picture. You can see how lame that turned out. Lame, but real! These are actually the best ofs:
Sad, eh? I don't know what Jane was looking at, but we could NOT get her to look at the camera...
Have to admit, I'm feeling pretty darn weary lately. Could be due, in part, to the fact that I stayed up til 3:30 last night (and nearly 2 the night before, and after 1 the night before that...) So I'm really tired. But I feel so scattered and anchorless without my husband these days. He's coming THIS week though, so I'm relieved about that, even though he'll still be writing finals and we'll have a wedding to prep for (did I mention my parents decided to go forward with putting in a new floor here? We started demo Friday, installation began Saturday...and the wedding is Friday and the reception is AT THE HOUSE this Saturday...but we're not stressed, because that does no good. We've just got to keep chewing. Chewing that massively big bite that was more than what a normal person would bite off. But I got to admit, I like not being normal. And I have really enjoyed doing the physical labor of it all, removing tile, pulling up carpet and staples and unscrewing subfloor. GREAT break from the care taker of two young kiddos gig.
Anywho- today I cracked out two Easter baskets for the kids with little things I had bought for them at least six weeks ago. It makes me laugh thinking how we spent Jane's first Easter and how I thought I had to have everything just right and I was all stressed out and then I didn't get it done anyway and we celebrated a week late. But BOY did we take a lot of pictures that year...I meant to grab the camera so Emiline could look at her stuffed duck. Probably good though, because then we don't have any proof of the difference between how stocked (and the quality of said stock) Jane's basket was her first year. Instead, let's say that I've decided that Easter baskets shouldn't be a big deal and should feel more like after thoughts so that the focus on can be on Christ. Blah, blah, blah. I need a nap!
Sad, eh? I don't know what Jane was looking at, but we could NOT get her to look at the camera...Have to admit, I'm feeling pretty darn weary lately. Could be due, in part, to the fact that I stayed up til 3:30 last night (and nearly 2 the night before, and after 1 the night before that...) So I'm really tired. But I feel so scattered and anchorless without my husband these days. He's coming THIS week though, so I'm relieved about that, even though he'll still be writing finals and we'll have a wedding to prep for (did I mention my parents decided to go forward with putting in a new floor here? We started demo Friday, installation began Saturday...and the wedding is Friday and the reception is AT THE HOUSE this Saturday...but we're not stressed, because that does no good. We've just got to keep chewing. Chewing that massively big bite that was more than what a normal person would bite off. But I got to admit, I like not being normal. And I have really enjoyed doing the physical labor of it all, removing tile, pulling up carpet and staples and unscrewing subfloor. GREAT break from the care taker of two young kiddos gig.
Anywho- today I cracked out two Easter baskets for the kids with little things I had bought for them at least six weeks ago. It makes me laugh thinking how we spent Jane's first Easter and how I thought I had to have everything just right and I was all stressed out and then I didn't get it done anyway and we celebrated a week late. But BOY did we take a lot of pictures that year...I meant to grab the camera so Emiline could look at her stuffed duck. Probably good though, because then we don't have any proof of the difference between how stocked (and the quality of said stock) Jane's basket was her first year. Instead, let's say that I've decided that Easter baskets shouldn't be a big deal and should feel more like after thoughts so that the focus on can be on Christ. Blah, blah, blah. I need a nap!
Moments
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The last few weeks have had their stresses. Er, I mean, the last month. Or two.
But MAN have I had some sweet, sweet moments with my kiddos lately.
Jane has turned into a cuddler! It's crazy. She loves to snuggle and lay down by me and kiss and hug. A lot. Maybe it's just cuz she misses her Daddy so I get all his hugs, too?
The other day I was sitting on the stairs painting the walls for my mom and Jane laid down on her belly on the landing so her head was level to mine. She put her arms around my neck and gave me a bunch of kisses on my cheek. Her kisses, by the way, are her pressing her wide, tight lips (almost like a smile) against whatever she is kissing and then making a squeaky, sucking noise. No puckering. Then she said in a confident command:
"OK Mommy. You kiss me lots. I will laugh."
And so I did. And so did she. Cracked me up.
Emiline will give kisses, too. When she really wants to kiss, she'll put her lips, sometimes open, sometimes closed, in the general area of my mouth. Then she'll smile and giggle. If she is just obliging me or someone else and she's not really in the mood, she'll just lean in her forehead to your lips. Well, it's more of a head butt to the lips. And if she flat out doesn't want to, she'll push you away. She's a bit spicy, that one!
I love it when my kids sing. Jane has been playing around more and more with lyrics to songs. She has been combining lots of primary songs like:
I am a child of God
and he has sent me here
and thankful bless me go to sleep
quickly I obey...
Her pitch is pretty good, too.
The other day she was singing I am a child of God but made more minute changes:
We are a child of God
and he has sent me-
We are a child of God
and he has sent us here
has given me-
has given us an earthly home....
I don't know why, but that really tickled me.
Then, every time Emiline starts crying or fussing, Jane breaks out in Mary Had a Little Lamb. Maybe because her Lamby is comforting to her? I don't know, but it's pretty funny and 92% of the time, it works.
This afternoon at naptime, I told Emiline to sing to me and she started right up singing wide vowels that really sort of sounded like I am a child of God...
Emiline is growing so fast! She's nearly a true toddler now. She sways a lot, still falls down here and there, but has such good control of stopping and going and turning around. She's choosing to walk more and more, even though she's crazy fast crawling. She sometimes combines the two and will get her knees of the floor a few times as she racing from one spot to the next. I know how quickly she won't be a baby anymore! Strangely, it doesn't make me sad. I've really enjoyed her babyhood and I'm just so excited to see her grow up. Worried about her spiciness and what that will look like as two year old and a teenager, most definitely! But more excited!
Jane was pretending to be Rapunzel today and decided I was Flynn and whacked (very gently, mind you) me on the head. She was testing to see if that was OK. I gave her a look and said my face didn't like that. She corrected me, of course. "Mom, you don't like your pointy head to get hit!" She still calls foreheads "pointy head"s. And I had this moment where I realized that at some point, probably very soon, she will stop calling it my pointy head. And I will miss that. And I took a little mental snapshot and let my heart hold it. And I wanted to write it down here. I love it when I'm in a place to savor moments.
As exhausting and exasperating as they can be, my kids bring me such immeasurable joy. I know I had a life before, and I liked it. But in some ways, becoming a parent has been like being born into a whole new kind of life. It's like joy (and tiredness) are different here, have different levels and meanings.
But MAN have I had some sweet, sweet moments with my kiddos lately.
Jane has turned into a cuddler! It's crazy. She loves to snuggle and lay down by me and kiss and hug. A lot. Maybe it's just cuz she misses her Daddy so I get all his hugs, too?
The other day I was sitting on the stairs painting the walls for my mom and Jane laid down on her belly on the landing so her head was level to mine. She put her arms around my neck and gave me a bunch of kisses on my cheek. Her kisses, by the way, are her pressing her wide, tight lips (almost like a smile) against whatever she is kissing and then making a squeaky, sucking noise. No puckering. Then she said in a confident command:
"OK Mommy. You kiss me lots. I will laugh."
And so I did. And so did she. Cracked me up.
Emiline will give kisses, too. When she really wants to kiss, she'll put her lips, sometimes open, sometimes closed, in the general area of my mouth. Then she'll smile and giggle. If she is just obliging me or someone else and she's not really in the mood, she'll just lean in her forehead to your lips. Well, it's more of a head butt to the lips. And if she flat out doesn't want to, she'll push you away. She's a bit spicy, that one!
I love it when my kids sing. Jane has been playing around more and more with lyrics to songs. She has been combining lots of primary songs like:
I am a child of God
and he has sent me here
and thankful bless me go to sleep
quickly I obey...
Her pitch is pretty good, too.
The other day she was singing I am a child of God but made more minute changes:
We are a child of God
and he has sent me-
We are a child of God
and he has sent us here
has given me-
has given us an earthly home....
I don't know why, but that really tickled me.
Then, every time Emiline starts crying or fussing, Jane breaks out in Mary Had a Little Lamb. Maybe because her Lamby is comforting to her? I don't know, but it's pretty funny and 92% of the time, it works.
This afternoon at naptime, I told Emiline to sing to me and she started right up singing wide vowels that really sort of sounded like I am a child of God...
Emiline is growing so fast! She's nearly a true toddler now. She sways a lot, still falls down here and there, but has such good control of stopping and going and turning around. She's choosing to walk more and more, even though she's crazy fast crawling. She sometimes combines the two and will get her knees of the floor a few times as she racing from one spot to the next. I know how quickly she won't be a baby anymore! Strangely, it doesn't make me sad. I've really enjoyed her babyhood and I'm just so excited to see her grow up. Worried about her spiciness and what that will look like as two year old and a teenager, most definitely! But more excited!
Jane was pretending to be Rapunzel today and decided I was Flynn and whacked (very gently, mind you) me on the head. She was testing to see if that was OK. I gave her a look and said my face didn't like that. She corrected me, of course. "Mom, you don't like your pointy head to get hit!" She still calls foreheads "pointy head"s. And I had this moment where I realized that at some point, probably very soon, she will stop calling it my pointy head. And I will miss that. And I took a little mental snapshot and let my heart hold it. And I wanted to write it down here. I love it when I'm in a place to savor moments.
As exhausting and exasperating as they can be, my kids bring me such immeasurable joy. I know I had a life before, and I liked it. But in some ways, becoming a parent has been like being born into a whole new kind of life. It's like joy (and tiredness) are different here, have different levels and meanings.
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