The Family Hall Way

That's the Doctor!

2012-01-09T21:50:00.003-06:00

We were at Church for tithing settlement recently, waiting in the little foyer area where a picture of Joseph Smith Jr. hung.

L: "Ezra, who's that?"
E: "Ummm... the doctor!"
L: "Hmm, not quite..."
F: "Yes it is! It's the Doctor of Covenants!"

Love it. :)

The Decision to Birth at Home

2011-09-01T09:13:00.007-05:00

Well, now that Dexter is almost a month old, I think I'll chronicle his birth.

Upon learning that I was pregnant last December, I began to look into options for my prenatal care and delivery. I found, surprisingly, that home births were covered under my health plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield. I can't say that it was always an aspiration of mine to have a home birth, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.

I realized that a home birth would be different from my previous births in two ways: first, I would give birth, of course, at home; second, I would receive care from a midwife in stead of an obstetrician.

Skipping the hospital seemed great to me. My labors and deliveries with Felix and Ezra were quick and uncomplicated--I labor at home for a few hours in denial that I'm actually in labor. Then transition sets in and I decide that it definitely is labor. When I can't deny the inevitable any longer (that the baby's coming NOW, whether or not I've checked off everything on my insanely long nesting to-do list), I jump in the car and Brian races to the hospital, getting there in just enough time to avoid a car birth. Some random doctor races into the room to catch the baby, and we go home as soon as they let us. So the idea of birthing at home seemed great to me! All the fun of labor without the awkward leg-crossing in the car to slow down the pushing contractions.

So, what about a midwife? My OB with Felix, in St. George, UT, was fantastic; if we had stayed in St. George I probably never would have looked beyond the realm of obstetrics for my prenatal care. But my OB in Ann Arbor, MI was not the greatest. (She was chronically 60-90 min late to appointments, flippant with answers to sensitive questions, talked about herself the whole time during checkups, and, just to top it off, stripped my membranes without asking me at 36 wks. [WHAT???] She said, "Oh, most women want to go early". Well, not me. I wanted that baby to have as much womb time as possible. Talk about disrespectful, non-personalized care.)

So I began reading up on midwifery, and I found that the model of care really appealed to me, especially in contrast with the standard medical model.

After making dozens of phone calls, I settled on Kate Saumweber of Twin Cities Midwifery. During our initial consultation, I sensed her empathy, intelligence, and wisdom, and was sold on the fact that all prenatal care would take place in my home! To say that my experience with Kate far exceeded my expectations is an understatement. Kate was phenominal, the perfect midwife. She would spend as long as I liked at our visits answering questions, learning about my past and current pregnancies, and helping Felix and Ezra feel included in Dexter's development. She was thorough and organized, even following up with me via phone in between visits. As a midwife, she cared for me as a whole person, looking after not just my (and baby's) physical health, but my emotional and social well-being as well. Her approach to care was educational and empowering; I felt like we collaborated in the decisions on prenatal care, by talking over options along the way (regarding tests, precedures, preparations, etc.). In fact, my experience was so wonderful that I can honestly say I'm already looking forward to the next pregnancy. In due time, of course. :)

OK, so the prenatal care was fabulous, but what about the actual birth? Well, that will have to wait until my next entry. Dexter's hungry.

Dexter!

2011-08-06T17:28:00.008-05:00

Just pictures for all the loved ones to see (some from our good friend and photographer, Kim Russell)! Thanks for your support, meals, babysitting etc.. More birth updates to come soon.

-Brian

Dexter Noah Hall

Length: 18.5 in.

Weight: 6 lbs 0 oz.

Sorry Laura for jumping the gun on this blog while you're still recovering from childbirth.. I know that you are just gathering your strength in order to be able to compose yet another memorable, witty, and creative post about little Dexter and our incredible home birth experience. Maybe you'll be ready to forgive me if I change the next six diapers...

What are Brothers For?

2011-07-12T16:25:00.002-05:00

Overheard as we were getting ready to leave for Lifetime Fitness today:

F: "Esra, pretty soon I'm going to go to school"
E: "Yeah! School!"
F: "No, only me. Not you. I'm going to go to school and play, and you're going to stay home and play wif yourself"
E: "Mm hmm!"
F: "But it will be ok, because then I won't hit you while I'm gone"

Yeesh.

They really do get along most of the time!

Oh, and as a note, he's not going into Kindergarten for over another year, though he's reading like a pro and talks eagerly about school every day...

Independence Day

2011-07-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

Happy Fourth of July!
To celebrate, we went canoeing down the St. Croix River with friends from Church. Big thanks to the Sandbergs (Cindy is in pictures below) for organizing this--it was SO much fun!!
Afterwards, we headed to a picnic dinner at the Howells--tons of fun with great food and wonderful friends (but no pictures, unfortunately!)

A Family Home Evening to Remember

2011-05-10T23:40:00.009-05:00

Opening Song:

Lesson: money management

Activity: driving to a car dealership in Bloomington to pick up the newest member of our family. (And cutting the biggest check of my life, so far... fun!)

Treat: It's official, we're a minivan family! (2005 Sienna Ltd... thanks to Brian's crafty haggling). It's been a loooong time in coming, and it's quite the step up from our 2-door Celica convertible that has seen better days. Our little car has served us well, but I am thrilled beyond measure not to have to toss my kids into their child seats anymore, to have a place to set my purse, and not to have my knees next to my ears when I'm in the passenger seat.

Woooohoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bring on the road trips!!!!!!!!

Oh, and the baby!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T22:02:00.005-05:00

Today I was spoiled by my boys!

Yes, those are crêpes--with steamed asparagus and a light sauce. (Made by Mr. Brian Hall, who does not particularly enjoy cooking.) They were just delicious--perfect, perfect crêpes, and the perfect breakfast for my palate (I don't usually eat "breakfast" foods for breakfast), and my fixation on protein and vegetables, haha.

Can I just tell you how completely, utterly astounded I was?? I was absolutely blown away by Brian's creativity and generosity, and the love and care he put in to this meal. WOW!

Isn't he the best?

Word has it that Brian was actually the sous chef, and that this little man spearheaded the food prep. (What a cutie--he got himself dressed this morning. I love his budding sense of style!)

And flowers!!

Then I came downstairs and realized that the reason Brian had stayed up super late the night before was because he was priming the wall over the fireplace (where we had taken down the dated mirror), and hanging the lantern hooks and Sacred Grove painting we had just received.

I am speechless with gratitude for all that Brian does! He is an amazingly dedicated employee, leader and member of our church, and husband and father. (And he still has energy somehow for his 25mi+ bike rides on the weekends.) I would be hard pressed to try and think of something in his life that does not receive 110% effort; I'm always a little worried he's going to wear himself out with all he does.

But his family certainly is his highest priority--and the way he takes time to read to the boys at night even though he has work left to do that will keep him up past midnight, or play on the floor with them even when he's totally spent, or listen to me go on and on and ON about trivial things in my life even though his brain is burnt out from work... all show just how much he is a husband and father first and foremost.

Boy am I ever lucky to be this man's wife!

Easter Joy!

2011-05-08T21:38:00.000-05:00

A family picture on Easter...

Dying Easter Eggs for Family Home Evening the Monday before...

Family Easter Basket...

Flowers from a friend...
Easter Egg Hunt with Friends...

Graduation (I graduated last Dec, but Spring commencement was that day, so we likewise celebrated)...

Happy Spring!!

Happy Day

2011-04-26T14:53:00.000-05:00

Hooray for finally being able to play outside again! (It's been a looooong winter...)

Pickles and Ice Cream? How About Cucumbers and Yogurt.

2011-04-22T12:06:00.007-05:00

I'm pretty sure it's not ok to go through a bottle of green tabasco sauce in 3 days, even if I am pregnant. But it's just soo yummy! (At least we got a killer deal on them--I found $1 off coupons in one store, collected a bunch, and used them at a cheap store where the little bottles were $1.09. I have about 4 dozen bottles, which, before this pregnancy, I was thinking was like a lifetime supply...)

But as I'm sitting here eating my lunch of peas, strawberries, and ww tortilla with scrambled egg & cheese (yep, with green tabasco sauce on everything but the strawberries), I'm realizing that this is a predictable part of growing a baby for me.

So I don't consider myself really particular when it comes to food. I like pretty much any food that's not gristly or greasy or too sugary. I like to eat balanced meals and snacks. I like simple foods best, but also adventurous recipes made from good ingredients (Thai curry, sushi, fresh Mexican recipes, etc.). I don't eat much 'processed' food, not for any ethical reason, but just because I don't like the taste and because I'm cheap and can make stuff on my own. Oh, and I don't like chocolate, which I know isn't normal, but hey--more for you!

With that background, my food choices during pregnancy aren't too weird--just amplified versions of these preferences, I guess. And there seems to be three phases to my eating habits in each pregnancy, which (surprisingly enough) correlate with the three trimesters. For your reading enjoyment...

FIRST TRIMESTER: Find out I'm pregnant at about 6 wks. Nausea takes about 2 wks to set in, during which time I both doubt that I'm actually pregnant, and think maybe this is the lucky pregnancy where I won't get sick.

But then the morning sickness sets in. Sense of smell heightened. Sense of appetite squashed. Nausea. Disgust at the thought of eating... anything, just about. No energy. Crabby most of the time. I usually find 2 or 3 foods I can choke down to stay alive for the next 2 months. (With Felix: yogurt and dry wheat chex , Ezra: nectarines and honey-7-grain kashi granola bars, Baby #3: Mi-del graham crackers, butternut squash, and oranges). It's a challenge to prep food for other people. (When I was pregnant with Felix, I made a cake for Brian in June and spelled out "Happy Father's Day" in chocolate chips. It took me two hours and about 5 trips to Mr. Porcelain to get those horrible smelling chocolate chips on. Blech.) Poor Brian probably loses a few pounds along with me in those first months, since my strategy for making it through this time involves hitting the sack at 7p or so and sleeping my nausea-filled life away.

The first three months of each pregnancy have seemed a little tougher with each baby, but only because I can't nap as easily with tots around, and because those tots have to eat. Since even the act of spreading peanut butter on a piece of bread makes me want to throw up at that point, my kids eat a lot of plain yogurt-fruit-cereal combo, which isn't anything to feel too guilty over probably, even if they did eat it twice a day sometimes....

SECOND TRIMESTER: Wake up on day 1 of week 14 with an appetite. Let me at that fridge. I'm able to slowly start eating normally. My energy level is great, and I'm interested in cooking and eating again (much to Brian's relief). This is the happy part of pregnancy.

Since this is where I'm at right now, I'll record my 'cravings' this time around (they're more or less the same as the other two times):

protein, protein, protein. Yummmm. Tofu, veggie burgers, garbanzo & kidney beans, eggs (hard boiled, scrambled), plain yogurt, chicken sometimes, and deli turkey. But only the pricey deli turkey, the kind that is just shaved turkey breast--not the pressed together slimey stuff. I search out the best prices for these foods, and buy a lot...
Nuts. I have eaten more almonds this pregnancy than most people do in 5 years I think.
Whole grains. Dense, hearty breads--anything that takes longer to chew than to read the ingredient list, basically. TJ's ww tortillas and pita bread, or homemade. Oat bran muffins.
Veggies. I looove veggies. Spinach, squash, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, etc, etc.
Fruit. Especially citrus (Grapefruit Farmers of America sent me a personalized thank you note this year, they hope I'm planning on having at least a dozen kids), and berries. Super yum.
Random strong flavors, like feta cheese, artichoke hearts, vinegar... and green tabasco sauce, of course.

THIRD TRIMESTER: A toned-down version of the previous trimester, with heartburn. It seems like I'm always hungry, and then after two bites I'm too full. So I snack, a lot. Since my babies don't tend to stick out very much, they take over my entire abdomen instead. I'm not sure where all of those organs go, because I remember feeling the baby kicking in my back and up almost in my chest a lot. The net effect is not being able to sit comfortably for the last month, and having a lot of heartburn. Really though, since that's about as bad as it gets for me in pregnancy, I'll keep my complaining to a minimum.

So, that's quite enough about my pregnancy eating habits. What have your cravings and aversions been?? I'd love to hear!

PS, here's a belly shot from a week or so ago.

Bright Boy

2011-04-04T10:44:00.003-05:00

This morning, Felix and I decided to make banana nut oat bran muffins for breakfast. While they were baking, I wrote out some sentences to see if he could read them:

Spring is fun!
I love to splash in puddles.
My new rain boots are bright green.
My jacket is red.
Ezra has green boots too and a yellow jacket.

I was pretty surprised--he read everything perfectly! I only had to give him a hint on two vowels and tell him that the "gh" in bright was silent. Impressive, little guy.

I had been figuring that when he was "reading" books to me that they were memorized, because he doesn't sound things out much out loud. But I guess he really is truly reading! (I can't take too much credit for this, I've helped him here and there, but he really has just taken off on his own.)

It really is amazingly fun to watch your child learn and develop, isn't it?

THREE BOYS!!!

2011-03-28T14:19:00.011-05:00

The New and Expanding Hall Family!

Baby Hall--coming late July/early August, 2011
(I'm 20.5 wks along)

Cute Little Profile!

Baby Feet!!

No Shame = No Room for Doubt!

My THREE Boys!!!!

Snowman

2011-03-14T15:23:00.005-05:00

General Mills is a wonderful company to work for. They offer a lot of perks, including employee clubs and activities of all sorts. One funny activity that Brian forwarded me an email about (probably just because he thought it was silly) was a snowman building contest for employees during the work day. I thought it would make a fun family activity though, so team Hall met up a week or so ago on the day of the activity, geared up and ready to compete.

Scoping out the competition

Snow Tots

The snow was actually really powdery, and almost impossible to pack. We added lots of water, and scaled down our plans a bit.

Out little headstand snowman, coming together!

I wanted to do something a bit more creative, but still simple enough that Felix and Ezra could help--and not get frostbite while we worked.

Well, our efforts paid off, because after the votes were tallied up (from employees who could see the snowmen from the cafeteria window), out little Upside Down Snowman took first place!

Hooray!

So Sweet to Me

2011-03-10T05:03:00.007-06:00

I love it when Brian is home to put the kids to bed with me. The routine is much more enjoyable, and I'm able to admire not only my cute kids (why are kids twice as cute in jammies?), but also my husband in his father role. Love him!

After changing into pjs, brushing teeth, reading scriptures, and saying family and kids' prayers, we will each take a kid and tuck them in. But for Ezra this means tossing him (with blankie and mouse) into his crib and bidding him adieu--maybe pausing for a toddler smooch before turning off the light.

For Felix, on the other hand, "tucking him in" has come to mean: hearing all about an adventure he had that day with puppy (fav. stuffed animal), the intricate workings of some body part (like the kidneys), and/or his plans for the next morning's breakfast; reading 2 bedtime stories (with 6 questions per page, and corrections if I leave out a word); more pressing life questions as he climbs into bed and requests that his blanket be flattened and pristinely tucked in; and a complex call-and-response style exchange of good-nights/I love yous/sweet dreams/and see you tomorrows.

Incredibly endearing and precious. But a bit time consuming!

So you can guess which kid Brian and I usually vie for.

Well, tonight after prayers, Felix warmed my heart with little conversation:

L: "Felix, who do you want to tuck you in? Mommy or DADDY!!!!"
F: "Mommy!"
L: "Oh, but Daddy is so fun, and he does awesome sound effects when he reads books."
F: "Oh, I want you, Mommy, because you're so sweet to me!"

Smitten!

Coolest Nerd Dream Ever

2011-02-15T07:37:00.004-06:00

Last night I dreamt that I was Abigail Adams's friend and we were accompanying some of the Founding Fathers to England to petition the King and parliament to redress their cruelty toward America. I was sitting next to Ben Franklin, and I was wearing a sweet dress, kind of like this one:
The King didn't listen, but some people in parliament were sympathetic, and did our Boston Tea Party cheer with us. I remember feeling kind of scared that they were going to punish us for speaking up.

Then we went east instead of west to go home, and stopped in Thailand to tour some temples and grab some street food.

Pretty much the greatest dream ever.

Any other rockin dreams out there??

To Costco or Not to Costco... I Need Your Input!

2011-02-05T14:09:00.007-06:00

Hello there, wise family and friends... I'm facing a potentially life-changing decision here, and I need advice.Yea or Nay?

Here are some factors that impact my decision:

There are two Costcos relatively nearby, one is in St. Louis Park (5 mi/10 min away) and the other is in Maple Grove (11 mi/20 min away).
We're pretty strict about our grocery budget, which is generous enough to let us eat deli turkey and red peppers (mmm), but not so generous that I shop at Whole Foods very often. So if I spend it all by the 18th, we're playing creative pantry until the next month (curses, January...)
I'd be ok with the XL shopping carts, because somehow the boys have gotten into the pattern of running toward those FUN shopping carts with the car attached to the front at the grocery store. It's like driving a 2WD semi truck. That magnetically attracts random bottom-shelf grocery items throughout the store.
I'm kind of choosy about food, and I'm wandering if Costco will have enough variety. Like, I like unsweetened applesauce, not-squishy whole-grain bread (but it has to be $2.50 or less), plain yogurt without junk (cornstarch, gelatin) in it, whole-wheat tortillas without preservatives (funny aftertaste, yuck), natural peanut butter... etc. I guess I could go browse the aisles with a checklist and see for myself on this one.
We don't eat much meat, and that's one thing that most people love about Costco. We do eat 'meat analogs' regularly--does Costco sell tofu, veggie burgers & hot dogs, tempeh, seitan, etc? (Trader Joes has the market on cheap tofu. They offered to start delivering it directly to my house to save the step of shelving it and me unshelving it. I wish that weren't a lie.)
We do eat a lot of produce, so the 4-lb bag of spinach is AOK with me. I have a hard time buying produce that's above the "benchmark" per pound prices I have in my brain, so I've been feeling kinda deprived this winter... (Why is winter squash $1/lb everywhere! If that's not in season, I don't know what is. Someone show me .29/lb; I'll even take .49. I could eat a butternut squash every day of my life for the rest of eternity. That's probably not normal, oh well.)
I went through Costco once last fall, to scope out prices, and found them to be comparable to sale prices at other grocery stores. So, it would be more convenient to be able to get these prices all of the time, in one place. Then again, I don't mind waiting for sales and then stocking up when an opportunity arises. I'm totally that crazy lady buying 36 jars of Classico pasta sauce (3/$5 baby. We'll eventually use it). I love when the cashier or other customers point out that I really must like pasta sauce. (Probably not any more than they do, but I do hoard it in my basement, lined up pretty on shelves, which is only normal if you're Mormon.) Of course, shelf-stable items are one thing; the same tactic doesn't work for produce and other perishables.
Have you noticed that Target is starting to sell Utah family-sized packages of home stuff? I haven't compared prices, but it's worth considering that Costco and Sam's Club don't have the monopoly on jumbo-jumbo sized packaged goods. (I do a lot of grocery shopping at Target, since their prices are competitive, Rainbow kind of bugs me [I can really only buy 1 gallon of milk at the sale price?? Gimicky], Cub foods is a little far away, and every time I go to Byerly's I come out with sushi too (mmmmmm), in addition to overpriced groceries--or sometimes just sushi. Boy is that wrecking my grocery budget. Curses, January... But that has nothing to do with anything.)

Another important consideration is whether Costco would really save me money, or whether I would just end up buying huge-o boxes of stuff so that cost per item was lower, but total grocery bill, after getting a variety of items, is not?

And, at the heart of the matter--can I really be a Mormon Mom, in every sense of the word, and not have a Costco membership? (JK here, I'm a maverick. Look at the car we drive. Wait, that's cause we're cheap.)

What has your experience been? And what other things should I consider?

At Long Last...

2011-01-26T07:27:00.002-06:00

Thanks to an incredible outpouring of support from heaven and earth over the past 5 years (much of it in the past 6 months), I have finally graduated!!

Photos from undergrad graduation

I've been waiting to share the news, because it finally became official on my student record last night, as I saw this when I logged in this morning to check my status:

DEGREES AWARDED - BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY           
--------------------------------------------------------------
DEGREE             :  BS                    
DATE RECEIVED      :  Aug 2005              
SCHOOL             :  Family Life           
MAJOR              :  Marriage, Family, & Human
                  Development
HONORS             :  Magna Cum Laude             
HONORS             :  University Honors with Thesis
GPA                :  3.92           
--------------------------------------------------------------
DEGREE             :  MS                    
DATE RECEIVED      :  Dec 2010              
SCHOOL             :  Family Life           
MAJOR              :  Marriage & Family Therapy
GPA                :  3.80            
THESIS             :  The Relation of the Expression of
                  Offense to Forgiving

HOORAY!!! I have finished the race! It has been a long, arduous process. We have moved 7 times since I started my degree, Brian earned 2 Masters degrees himself, and I've had 2 babies. I've had to navigate way too many sticky situations to list here, situations that had me in tears and almost throwing in the towel. Although it has been a character-building, enriching experience overall, if anyone were to ask my advice I'd have to strongly encourage them to finish up the student phase of their life before moving on.

I am deeply appreciative of the privilege of gaining an education; of the opportunity to develop new skills, work ethic, and endurance; of learning to rely on my family and friends for support (especially with childcare); and of working with my amazingly gifted and charitable professor, Dr. Mark Butler.

To sum up my appreciation, I'd like to share with you the Acknowledgments page of my thesis:

I owe my deepest gratitude to numerous associates, friends, and family members who have supported me during my journey as a graduate student. To friends who have cheered me on, prayed for me, and helped with childcare, I thank you for the integral role you have played in my completion of this degree.

To the faculty and secretary of the department of Marriage and Family Therapy, for the forbearance and generosity you have shown me as student on a non-traditional trajectory. I thank you for continually extending the opportunity to complete my work.

To Dr. Mark Butler, for ceaseless support and encouragement over the past eight years as I have worked as your teaching assistant and graduate student. The absolute positive regard and faith that you have always conveyed to me as a scholar, clinician, and associate have been central to my progress. I am humbled and forever changed as a person because of the privilege of working under your guidance.

I also express my profound appreciation to my family for their understanding and zealous support. To my loving mother and father whose enthusiasm for my education has been inspiring and contagious. To my dear eternal companion Brian, for your confidence in my abilities and tolerance for the imbalance in our lives over the past few months, and to my precious sons Felix and Ezra for your sweet temperaments and unconditional love. You, family, are my deepest source of joy, and the inspiration for my efforts to meaningfully contribute to this field.

Finally, I am everlastingly indebted to my Father in Heaven for the opportunity He has given me to grow in light and truth, and for the privilege of taking part in a small portion of His work by strengthening marriages and families.

Busy, Odd Day. Or, The Little Car that Couldn't

2011-01-21T14:49:00.008-06:00

I could tell last night when I was folding this week's laundry that I had had a pretty easy week: the only clothes that came through of mine were 3 pairs of pj pants, 3 sweatshirts, and 3 pairs of fuzzy socks. And that's pretty much an accurate snapshot of what I looked like M-Th.

So today is Supermom day: I started off with my first ever yoga class at General Mills at 7am. I am totally converted. I already am totally in love with yoga! Since it wasn't a beginner's class, I was worried I would feel weak and inflexible, but I actually didn't feel too out of place. (Guess my daily grind as a mom keeps me in decent shape...) I was even able to do most of the advanced variations of the poses, like the crow pose!

I am really grateful to Brian who's willing to head in a bit later to work on Fridays for the next few months so that I can bring some balance back into my life, now that I'm not running outside regularly. I am looking forward to stretching, toning, and balancing my way to a better life. :)

Later in the morning, the boys and I braved the -20* (yes, NEG 20, eek) weather to head to Ezra's 2-yr well child exam. Another visit that confirmed I'm raising linebackers with big heads: both my boys are in the 75%ile for weight and head, with Felix in the 10%ile for height, and Ezra in the 25%ile for height. (For the record: Felix: 38 lbs, 38" tall, 20.25" head. Stats from 4-yr check-up a month ago. Ezra: 30 lbs, 33.5" tall, 19.5" head).

But hey, they're happy, healthy, intelligent, active linebackers--and they completely win over my heart every single day. Love my boyzzzz. :D

So this is where my day got odd. I drove out of the parking lot, and was about a block down the road when suddenly I heard my car alarm go off. (This is all the more odd because I barely remembered I had a car alarm. The battery died in my remote like 3 years ago, and after trying unsuccessfully to replace it I just took the remote off my keychain and figured anyone who went to the trouble of stealing my car could just have it. It would help me get a minivan sooner, right? Plus, I think the false alarm rate on car alarms is something like 99.97%, so its probably not the biggest deterrent to a would-be criminal. But I digress.)

Anyhow, so all of the lights in and outside of my car start flashing, so I shut my car off when I reach a stop sign. What's going on??! Then my car won't turn back on, and the engine won't even crank! Ahh! Why didn't we renew AAA this year! I'm stranded! I'm going to die in like 15minutes, it's SO STINKIN' COLD OUT!

So after like 10 minutes of panicking, trying to start my car, and trying to answer Felix's questions without showing my frustration, I finally remember to take a deep breath and say a prayer. I'm at a fairly busy four-way stop, and I'm getting a little annoyed by the dirty looks from other drivers who I guess assume I'm doing this on purpose?! (But it made me think that I'm often guilty too of not having as much empathy as I should for people who I perceive as being "in my way"...)

So just then this kind man and woman pull up and offer to help me push my car around the corner onto the less-busy road. After trying to figure out what to do next, they notice I have two little guys in the backseat, who are now crying because of the cold. They offer to drive me somewhere to call for a tow truck or ride, and then they offer to drive me home if its anywhere nearby. So, generally I wouldn't accept offers like that from total strangers, but... they were an answer to prayer, it was abominably cold out, I got the "trustworthy" vibe from them, and did I mention we opted out of AAA for the first time in our married life? So I didn't really know who to call anyhow.

So Mr. & Ms. Good Samaritan drove us home, and I was so grateful for it!

After getting home, I remembered that I was going to stop at the store and pick up some staples we were out of. So I decided instead to make a batch of whole wheat bread and 2 doz whole wheat tortillas. Now if I only had a cow, some chickens, and an orchard and vegetable garden that produced throughout the winter, I'd be set.

So, the icing on the cake of this busy, odd day is that tonight Brian and I have an appointment with someone that has to do with something I've been excited about for a little while now, but that I'll have to post about later.

How's that for a mind-boggling cliffhanger?

Admission of Guilt

2011-01-21T14:03:00.001-06:00

Absentee blogger.

Guilty as charged.

My reason? We lost our camera back in... September? And we still haven't bought a new one. I have no idea why really. Actually, that's not true, I know exactly why. We get paralyzed when a decision involves both money and consumer products with lots of choices. We are perfectionists who are utterly terrified of buyer's remorse, and of not getting the absolute best thing at the absolute best price. So we just put off making purchases for a long, long time. We have a long history of it. That's another blog post altogether though.

But a camera is a necessity, and I feel horrible about not having taken pictures of anything in our lives for the past 4 months. That's ridiculous. Plus there's the secondary effect of not having done as much, because we don't have a need to do something to take pictures of. You know?

You know?

No, you all aren't incapacitated by such trivial matters. And I, too, need to overcome my fears and apathy and jump back on the photo-snapping, mommy-blogging train.

All ABOARD!!!!!!!!

Wow, Laura. Just wow.

Yum

2010-09-24T12:54:00.006-05:00

I love summer for fresh fruit, and autumn for earthy vegetables...

Lunch:

Acorn squash with maple syrup and pecans. Yep, it was blogworthy.

Also blogworthy: A successful thesis proposal meeting yesterday! My awesome committee liked my lit review, theory on anger in forgiveness, and proposed study (analyzing a brief survey of therapists regarding, what else, anger in forgiveness). So, if I run the stats we discussed, and write up the results and significance, my thesis will pass and I'll be able to... GRADUATE!!! Hooray! I have until the first week of Nov to finish writing, so til then, I'll have a messy house, ad hoc dinners, and a skimpy blog. Sorry.

Pit Stop

2010-08-31T16:24:00.006-05:00

Felix, running in from playing outside with friends:

"Mommy! The poopy's trying to come out in my underwear! But I said, 'No poopy! You can't come out in my underwear!'"

A minute later, flushing the potty:

"Bye bye poopy! Thank you for not coming out in my underwear!"

Old picture... Haven't done a potty photo shoot for a while

And I swore I'd never be one of those moms who blogged about potty time...

"Exploring his Environment" or "Wreaking Destruction"

2010-08-19T09:09:00.012-05:00

The broom and vacuum have been my constant companion this past week, thanks to Ezra's uninhibited curiosity about the pantry. A sampling of his adventures:

Almonds, cashews, raisins, dried apricots. Felix got a knife and opened up bags of the nuts and fruit from Trader Joe's with Ezra and spread them all over the floor throughout the downstairs. I'm talking a sea of almonds, seriously.

Oats. He loves dry oats, and if I leave the lazy susan cupboard open for 5 seconds when I'm baking, he's after them like a horse. (I know, whose child is this right?) He's gotten into them too many times to count, at least a dozen, sometimes when I'm out of the room, spilling oats all over the kitchen, dining room, and stairs.
Sugar. Twice now, stuffing handfuls into his mouth, and spilling all over the floor and into the drawers.
Butter. That was a few weeks ago, but yeah, eating it like a candybar.
Rice Crispies. Three times yesterday. All over the floor.
Rice. Raw. Brown. Dry. By the handful.
Salt. From the canister. I don't get it either.
Water. He pushes over a chair and climbs up to the kitchen sink, or onto the toilet and fills up cups and toys with water, drinking some and pouring the rest on the floor.
Milk. Just once so far, into the dishwasher (while standing on the door). So at least cleanup was pretty easy.
Diaper wipes. Daily. "How fast can I pull 250 wipes out of a box?"
Oil. He tried to drink from the mega jug of canola oil, but that was at the apartment, so no permanent damage done here at least... (And I guess I cleaned it well enough to save the carpet; no fee when we moved out).

I know, you're thinking, where's his mom? And why hasn't she childproofed those cupboards? And what happens to someone who eats butter and drinks oil?

Well, can't a gal put away a load of laundry? And, I have! (I guess I need to do it better though...) And, baby soft skin and awesome thighs--give it a try.

Oh well, at least my floor has been getting swept and washed more. And I still love the little cutie as much as ever...

How could I not?

Literary Indulgence

2010-08-16T15:59:00.014-05:00

I turned in a draft of my thesis proposal. (HOORAY!)

To make a December graduation (and therefore not have to petition loosing coursework credit), I need defend both my prospectus and thesis this Fall semester. Which means having the whole thing basically written by the end of this month. I've been working my tail off, and have now turned my second draft in to my adviser.

I haven't really loved the experience of writing a thesis (no, seriously? I'm four years older than when I started the thing, if that's an indication of my enthusiasm), and I don't know that I've ever had to really edit a paper before. (My usual method is to scrawl out a solid outline, hack out a pretty decent first draft, and then if I have time, read it over once to make sure it makes sense before printing it off and accepting my 94%A. Hey, an A is an A--and you think people really read what you turn in anyhow?)

But this behemoth of a paper is different, and I actually have been culling through the paper and changing things. Rewording sentences, moving ideas around, and even (cringe) deleting whole paragraphs. (That part is tough--so I have a document where I put the extracted paragraphs, called Thesis Stuff I Can't Just Delete. I'll delete the whole document later, but now the pain is too fresh.)

So anyhow, now that I have a bit of a break--before my adviser returns my draft--I've been checking something of my bucket list:

I'm really enjoying it so far. It's laced with so much silly emotion, unrequited affection, triviality, and... estrogen? It's a nice escape during naptime and in the evening. But between the descriptions of arrogant gentlemen, pretty-eyed sisters, impertinent behavior, and confusing family/social ties, the story line was becoming a bit muddled.

Then I came across this gem:

Illuminating.

Wikipedia, how did I ever used to get through a day without you?

New Home

2010-04-28T23:27:00.004-05:00

We just bought our first home! After a week of unpacking we are finally getting settled in our new place in Plymouth, Minnesota. More to come soon...

MUAH!

2010-02-26T09:01:00.006-06:00

THANK YOU, BRIAN!!!

WOW!!!!!!!

Roses are amazing. They're even gorgeous as they're dying...

Happy Valentine's Day!

First Day of Work

2010-01-25T08:55:00.000-06:00

Knock their socks off, honey!

This is the PLACE!

2010-01-18T08:37:00.001-06:00

Hey all! We're in Minnesota. We love it, cold and all. We're thrilled for Brian to start work on the 25th, and we're looking forward to building our family and creating memories here.

We took a fun trip to the Walker Art Center with Brian's sister Christy, and had to snap a few photos by the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry.

Uncle Kurt and Leanne!

2010-01-16T09:07:00.000-06:00

Back in December, before we left Ohio, we had the chance to visit with my older brother, Kurt, and his girlfriend of almost 6 years now, Leanne. It was great to get together with them, I love them both a lot. They are working hard on their PC Repair business, KBA4 PC Repair (my brother is Kurt B. Arnold IV... isn't that COOL?), and some other ventures as well.

I really hope we can see them again soon!

Some Hiking Pics

2010-01-16T08:38:00.004-06:00

Minimum Height Requirement Not Met

2010-01-16T08:28:00.000-06:00

But maybe someday, Felix...

Christmas in Iowa!

2010-01-05T08:08:00.000-06:00

We LOVE family!

The Shakespear Bed & Breakfast

2009-12-23T21:13:00.002-06:00

Well, we're off to Minnesota! And we're taking the best route--through Ann Arbor for a night, and Cedar Rapids for two weeks to celebrate the holidays.

The Shakespears were so generous in putting us up for our night in Michigan. Our boys had a blast running around for hours on end while we talked and talked. I think we all practically fell asleep in the living room, because we could have just kept talking all night. Megan and Jeremy are the best. We heart the Shakespears!

How cute is that, coincidentally matching jammies? Awesome.

By the way, Megan is 35 wks along with twins, and is hands down the cutest pregnant woman ever, ever, EVER! I'm so excited to see pics of the little ones when they arrive! And then all meet up again in Nauvoo sometime soon!

Snuggle Time

2009-12-18T08:59:00.001-06:00

I love my baby...

Brian, Meet Your New Boss...

2009-12-12T00:12:00.014-06:00

And, allow me to introduce you to your new coworkers...

That's right, Brian has accepted a job as an Associate Marketing Manager at General Mills!!!!!

We are in complete and total shock. It really has just barely begun to sink in. A complete answer to prayers (thank you SO much to everyone who prayed for us, or even just sent your empathy for our situation!)

It's an absolute dream job, in every way. He'll start in mid-Jan, so right after the holidays we'll be heading to Minneapolis . (Mills has its headquarters in Golden Valley, just west of downtown).

Brian is on cloud nine, and I'm thrilled out of my mind too! I am so, so, so glad that Brian didn't give up on his dream. Felix still thinks we're heading to Pittsburgh, but he's starting to say "Minnin-napowis!" when we ask him where we'll be moving to. He calls Minnesota, "Minne-snow-ta", which is probably more accurate.

Oh, and speaking of the cold... ummm, all I can say is that I haven't let myself think about the weather yet. Ignorance is bliss, right? But really, who moves to a tundra state in the middle of January

Anyhow, let's hear it for BRIAN, General Mills' newest AMAZING MARKETER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bath Time!

2009-11-30T20:33:00.000-06:00

Hamster Attack

2009-11-18T13:01:00.001-06:00

Rule #413: If a toy has wheels, it shouldn't be run on the Mommy head.

Flagrent violation of this rule may lead to imposed hair accessories that strongly resemble said toy, severe fits of laughter on the part of otherwise kind onlookers, and premature balding.

Play at your own risk.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T08:30:00.001-06:00

BOO!

From about age 14 until I had kids, I didn't really care much for Halloween. It's kind of a weird holiday, with excessive amounts of candy and a strange focus on death and black magic. Plus, it's always so cold on the actual night for Trick-or-Treating that your carefully planned costume is pretty much ruined by the long johns, coat, hat, and gloves you needed to survive the harrowing journey around the neighborhood.

But this year my attitude changed, mostly because it was fun to watch Felix get the hang of Trick-or-Treat! Our Ward held a Halloween Carnival and Trunk-or-Treat, which were great. Plus, on the actual night of candy collecting, the temperatures were in the upper 50s. Wowza!

And you know, there's something days-gone-by fun about walking up to strangers' homes and asking for candy. It seems like a relic of a safer time. It's rare to even chat with neighbors anymore, so it's kind of a unique experience to walk around with the whole neighborhood on a common quest for sugary goodies. (To which, I must confess, Brian and I applied a 98% tax when we got home. Ouch!)

Felix the Monkey with Grandma!

And Ezra the Dragon!

Oh my goodness. Someone's maxing out the cuteness factor.

SCORE! They're both looking at ME and looking PLEASANT!

This is proof for my dear friend Laurel that I don't completely deprive my son of all that is chocolatey and delicious in life.

The next morning he promptly returned to his regular daily diet of grape-nuts, tofu, pasta, cheese, homemade graham crackers aka hardtack, and more fruit and vegetables than normal human beings care to eat in a week.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-22T16:28:00.000-05:00

Today's trip to the Pumpkin Patch was brought to you by my lovely mother.

With a generous contribution of 2 uber-cute pumpkin hats from our friend Vicki

First stop, the barn.

Then, snack time. Fresh apples and apple cider!

Ezra will have the milk. Organic please.

Then onto the HAYRIDE! Felix was in paradise. I think he hopes we'll trade in our Celica for a tractor and trailer. (Hmmm... we could fit a lot more kids in that way...)

Ezra samples the local fare.

Felix decides that not a bad idea.

My babes!

EzBabe!!!

Then Felix and I went in search of the perfect pumpkins. Found them! Med for Felix, smallish for Ezra.

Over to the lake for some pictures to capture brotherly love

Agrotourism at its best!

Thanks, Mom!

Goodbye Baby Hair

2009-10-16T09:27:00.000-05:00

I don't know what I was thinking.

I took a clipper to his beautiful, soft baby hair, and chopped it off.

My brother thinks I was posessed by a insatiable desire to fill the page for "first haircut" in Ezra's baby book--all of a sudden looking up from my work in shock, with scisors in one hand and a lock of hair in the other. WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!

I'm inconsolably miserable, and I'm never cutting his hair again. For at least the next month. (Cuz I guess a little-man business cut is cute too.)

Banessa!

2009-10-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

We like Zack's girlfriend Vanessa. She's ridiculously smart (fluent in Mandarin, a seasoned world traveler, and an expert on Uighurs and Jihadists of Xinjiang Provence [I have no idea what I just typed]). Plus, she's witty, fun to talk to, adorable, and fabulous with kids and small hyper dogs. What more could any guy ask for, right Zack?

We all hope she sticks around for a looong time!

Take a Hike

2009-10-04T21:34:00.002-05:00

We love the outdoors. And the outdoors in Ohio are just breathtaking in the fall. It's like all of the trees are on fire! And there's no better way to enjoy the fresh air and color than by taking a hike in one of the area's metroparks.

Family time heals the soul. :)

Sitting... and Standing!

2009-09-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

2009-09-24T00:04:00.002-05:00

Laura was lame and worked on her thesis while Felix, Brian, and Grandma went to an Akron Aeros Game!

Felix is now obsessed with baseball, and tells me he's going to be a baseball player when he grows up. Grandma's house is across the street from a baseball diamond in Hardesty Park, so we go over and throw the ball around and run the bases every once in a while.

It's so quintessential American, and it's fun to watch Felix develop and understanding and love for it!

Ride the Red Train!

2009-09-17T22:44:00.006-05:00

We took a family trip to Pittsburgh yesterday, so that Brian could network with a fellow Ross grad at Heinz. Pittsburgh is such a neat city. From the dramatic geographically and the distinct neighborhoods to the historic-yet-hip feel, it made a fun day trip. While we were there, we stopped at Point State Park right in downtown Pittsburgh to look around and snap a few photos.

Then Brian had his meeting while Laura drove around the city attempting to calm an antsy two-year-old who wanted OUT of the car while trying to find a spot to nurse Ezra without getting a traffic ticket-turn-misdemeanor. Poor Felix, we never got to stretch our legs during Dad's meeting, since parking's a beast downtown.

Afterward, we went to the Duquesne Incline to "ride the RED TRAIN!!!!!!!!". It's a steep little train car that goes up and down this supa-steep incline from along the Monongahela River to Mount Washington south of downtown Pittsburgh. It's adorable, and thrilling for little boys. But they didn't take debit card, so I rode the down with the little ones while Brian drove around trying to figure out how get cash without the atm fee. Anyhow, it was very fun!

Now that we've been to Pittsburgh, Felix can't stop talking about the place. When he sees airplanes, he says they're heading there. Trucks too--all of them. And just about every day during lunch he lets me know that it's, "Lunch time, Potty time, Nap time! And... after we Go.. To.. Pittsburgh!!!" I'm not sure what the obsession is all about, but it's funny. Perhaps it's a premonition?

Outdoors

2009-09-15T09:35:00.001-05:00

Felix got a stern talkin' to for pushing him over. But, I have to admit, he's so cute when he cries.

ASL

2009-09-08T17:05:00.002-05:00

Felix still uses his signs sometimes, especially when he really wants something. ("Pwease?" [rubs belly]. That's funny because 'please' is really just rubbing a small circle on your chest, but since Felix is usually trying to beg for something edible, it's that much more appropriate that he's rubbing his belly, haha!)

He also asks Ezra, "Do you want milk?" [pumps fist] when he's crying sometimes. What a good teacher.

Today he came up to the attic (bedroom/office) to show me that he loves me:

Soo cute! I'd signed that to him a few times, but I didn't think he'd be returning the gesture for a while, because it takes a bit of dexterity. I love that sign, because my grandpa and mom used it all the time when I was growing up as they said Bye. It's handy when someone's pulling out of the driveway, or if you're standing at the door. It can be used alone or in conjunction with yelling "I LOVE YOU!" Both are effective. How great is ASL? It allows you to express love with your hands and mouth at the same time. Double whammy.

And maybe it will even come in handy when my little boys are walking into the elementary school, and I'm not allowed to say those words aloud in public anymore. But let's not think about that sad thought. In fact, I think I'm going to kick up the hugs and kisses at home and in public in anticipation of that inevitible day. Gotta get 'em in while I can!

Going to the OHIO

2009-08-31T22:09:00.006-05:00

We're off! Tomorrow morning we'll pack up our lives and go to Akron for an extended visit with my family. Don't get this confused with moving in with my family. That would require moving boxes (we're just using suitcases), changing our address (we'll be pretending we still live in MI), and humbling ourselves and facing reality (nope).

So here's to my mom for putting up with us for the next few weeks! (Or months? We'll see how long this job search takes.)

A note on the job search: Brian's dream is to work as an Assistant Brand Manager at a major Consumer Packaged Goods company (like Kellogg's, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, etc...). That means he'd like to market everyday products to you all.

His background is a little non-traditional (undergrad in Music, experience in music retail, dual degree in Music and Business, and an internship in Marketing at Steinway & Sons), and CPG Brand Management is notoriously hard to break into. Combine those factors with a frigid economy, and you see why we're in month eleven of our job hunt!

We've considered conceding Brian's dreams to the reality of bills and rent. Maybe we could find a lower-level job at a CPG company (like an Analyst position), or a Marketing job at a smaller-name or non-CPG company? We've finally started to apply for some jobs like that, but we haven't been having much more luck than with the "dream" jobs and companies. It's hard to get your application noticed, among the hundreds, without a current empoyee's name in your cover letter, so Brian has been networking like crazy at like every company ever. This helps him get a decent number of phone interviews, which almost always leads to a fly-back interview, which almost always leads to rejection...

Days have turned into months, and now semesters, and we're seeing just how bare-bones our budget can get so that we don't have to start spending our savings. So now summer's drawing to a close, and we've decided to move Brian's job-searching headquarters to my Mom's house.

(To be honest, it's hard to think that I worked my perfectionistic tail off during high school with my immaculate gpa, perfect attendance at early-morning seminary, intense sports involvement to make it to BYU on scholarship and put myself through undergrad and grad school, marry Mr. Right in the temple, have two perfect babies, and help my husband through the rigors of two master's degrees... all to return home jobless, with a husband and two kids in tow? )

But that's the shortsighted, self-centered way of looking at our situation. In the grand scheme of things, this is a little hiatus in our otherwise pleasant life. A time to refocus on our beliefs, our values, our motives for choices and goals. A time to realize we can't--and never did--do it alone. A time to develop humility and faith. And a time to pray and fast for answers and direction--and the blessing of a "dream" job, in the Lord's time.

You see, the answer we feel we've received is to continue to press forward in our quest for a job that will allow Brian to most fully use his talents, skills, and knowledge, in a field and function that Brian can fell passionate about and rewarded by! So, we've decided this means making some sacrifices, and heading into the unknown for a little while longer, with faith that we will land this evasive job eventually.

This is a trial for us. But since when should we shun opportunities for character development? This life is a time for us to prepare to meet God, and I've got a ways to go... Honestly, my character and faith grow most when I need to stretch and work hard, and sincerely pray for help and guidance because I desparately need it. So, this trial is requiring patience, tears, faith, and earnest prayer. Answers and comfort have come in very subtle but powerful ways, and I have a deep sense of peace about the future that I lose only when I start to feel depressed or angry. We've grown closer as a family through this process, too, and hopefully a little more humble as we've realized how much we truly need the Lord's help!

There are blessings though... the thick silver lining to all of this is all of the time our family is going to be able to spend time with my dear Mom, brothers, and Dad!

Uncle Dan!

2009-08-25T21:56:00.003-05:00

We love Uncle Dan. He's the coolest Uncle, who will be adoring and indulging our children for the next 25 years.

He loves us too. So much so that he flew in from New York City one one of his very rare breaks from med school to spend time with us.

It was such a treat to spend a few days with him. The boys can't get enough of him. Brian had a wonderful time talking and playing video games with him. He even answers all of my odd questions about medicine... like, why so many people die of cancer now. (His view: we'd all die of cancer eventually, more or less, if we didn't get other diseases, but in the past they were busy dying of cholera, childbirth, farm accidents, tuberculosis... so they didn't live long enough to develop cancer in the numbers we do today.)

SO, here's some snapshots of our time together!

Please, Dan, will you get a job wherever we end up living? Please, please?

Light Bugs

2009-08-08T21:21:00.002-05:00

Magic!

Ezra, Darling...

2009-07-20T10:10:00.000-05:00

I love you so, so much...

My sweet, sweet baby boy.

How we're ever going to get you through your infancy, with Felix's toddler-style lovin', is beyond me...

Eat your veggies, my dear. Grow up big and strong.

And I'll keep my back turned if you want to sneak Felix a pinch once in a while...

1,826 Days and Counting

2009-07-11T08:25:00.005-05:00

On Friday, July 10th Brian and I marked our 5th Wedding Anniversary!!! We take turns planning the celebration, and this year it was my turn. In the afternoon we drove down to Ohio to visit my fam and snag a free babysitter. (You're the best, mom!)

I packed up nice picnic dinner in one of these jim dandies:

And we headed off for Stan Hywet, where the Ohio Shakespeare Festival was putting on As You Like It.

I've always loved this old, historic mansion. I grew up within walking/biking distance, and have many memories of visiting the house and grounds with friends and family, on field trips, and for choir performances, festivals, etc. My mom even took Brian and me there when he first visited my family for some casual engagement shots.

Good times. So it was the perfect place to return to celebrate our half-decade of matrimonial bliss.

After taking advantage of the complimentary bug spray, we found a picturesque picnic spot by the pond:

And enjoyed dinner:

Then it was time for the show.

The acting was great, and the play itself even better. Wow, Shakespeare was a total genius--the play gave me so much to think about in terms of social dynamics, gender roles, and relationships (man, I'm such a family therapist). I think every time I read or see a Shakespeare play, I appreciate the old Bard a little more.

But I appreciate my Brian even more! I'm so, so, so thankful to be married to such a sweet, funny, intelligent, hard-working, family-loving, gospel-centered, faithful, forgiving, creative, talented, cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute man! He totally meets and exceeds all of my girlie, high school lists of characteristics I hoped for in my "future husband".

Here's a list of a few reasons why I love him, just because making a list is so intrinsically fulfilling to me:

His wacky sense of humor will keep me entertained for the rest of eternity.
He would walk 10 miles in the heat to save 50 cents.
He's dedicated to providing for our family through a career that is exciting and fulfilling, and won't sell himself short, even though it means sacrificing right now.
He listens to me babble on and on when I'm in a philosophical mood. Usually. Or at least he does a good job of fake-listening.
He plays with my hair.
He likes jelly bellies, nerds, and mike&ikes. That's so cute.
He plays the piano like a crazy talented jazz genius. He's got serious mad skillz.
He wants to have infinity babies with me, and like 6 or 8 of them in this life.
He despises clutter and disorganization, yet he holds onto school papers like he's gonna try and sell them on ebay, and scatters his clothing like a rock star--He's frugal to a degree I've never before witnessed in any human being, yet he really likes refined food and clothing. (It's our incongruences that make us interesting).
He always drives the whole way whenever we drive anywhere, as long as I do my duties as navigatress, cheerio-and-toy-and-book-throw-at-kid-er (???), back masseuse, toll ticket holder-oner-to-er/money getter, and snack passer-overer. And English language slaughtererererer.
He has cute little endearing idiosyncratic habits that I'll refrain from listing, 'cause then they wouldn't seem quite as idiosyncratic. (OK, just one: He wiggles his feet when he's eating something for dinner that he really likes. Ahhhhhhh! SO cute)
He watches Simpson's on his computer so I won't know, haha :)
He's a hopeless idealist and pretty much a perfectionist. Just like someone else I know.
He somehow chose to marry little old me.

Sigh... I think I'm in love.

For eternity.

What Have We Been Up To Lately?

2009-07-08T21:43:00.000-05:00

Potty training (with a best friend)

Being super cute

LOVING life!

Dropping off the growth curve... :(

(Skinny, sad baby in a truck...)

And promptly starting the Biggest Winner diet (Laura concoctions like... millet-green bean-lentil-egg yolk-yogurt-banana-brewer's yeast smoothies. [Oh baby, pour me a glass.]
Or on boring days just oatmeal-plum feasts)

"Bike wide wif Mommy"

or Daddy

Strawberry and pea picking with family and Gramma!

And eating TONS of field-fresh baby peas and berries!

Learning to sit!

Being the ideal baby

Spending some quality time with our wonderful neighbors

And loving "feniwy" :D

We've Moved!

2009-06-24T20:15:00.000-05:00

To a charming blue house near a park. With a fenced backyard. And the world's best neighbors, who are keenly interested a Brian's job search, and in getting our kids to laugh. (I just want to add that we got a screamin' deal on this sublet due to the decreased demand in this college town in the summer for housing.)

It's a great place to be for the summer, but hopefully we'll be able to move out fairly soon when we find a job!

Felix calls it the "blue home-again" because when Grandma Polly came to visit a while ago, she would always chant, "Home again, home again, jiggity-jig" as we pulled in the parking lot".

Grab Yer Life Boat

2009-06-17T20:27:00.001-05:00

Having your toilet explode is a sure-fire cure for mid-week boredom. Strap on your snorkle mask, Felix, we're going swimming!

OK, I'm being overly dramatic. It wasn't that bad.

It was this bad!

jk.

Truth: I went to flush the toilet and it just kept flushing. And flushing. And flushing. And there was no shut off valve thingy down by the floor where there should be such a valve thingy.

So I took off the back of the toilet to mess with some stuff. I guess I messed with the wrong stuff, cuz the next thing I knew there was a geyser shooting water all over the bathroom. It was spraying up with ferocious force to the ceiling and raining back down all over me and everything else in the bathroom. Then the water started pouring out into the hall and our bedroom. Oh man. It's like 6:05 so I have to find the number for the after-hours emergency maintenance service, which takes a little longer. Not a big deal if you jammed a sippy cup valve down your garbage disposal. It is a big deal if Lake Michigan is being siphoned into your apartment at a brisk clip.

So finally the guy arrives to shut off the toilet. (It takes him a couple of trips to his truck to find the right special tool to shut the thing off. Toilet valves are not a cute place to showcase your proprietary designs, Mr. Toilet-maker.) And we're left with a couple of inches of standing water and a bathroom that has become a family-size shower.

Luckily, Woodbury Gardens called a carpet cleaner guy and footed the bill to have our carpet ripped up and padding replaced. Felix had a blast in our apartment-turn-funhouse--climbing through the piles of furniture and running over the undulating sea of carpet, drying out for four days by six of these bad boys:

They're loud. But they're better than the alternative!

MBA Kids' Graduation

2009-05-12T20:11:00.000-05:00

I Can Canoe! Can You?

2009-05-11T21:08:00.001-05:00

Brian took Felix on a canoe outing on the Huron River for Disorientation week before graduation. I was a pansy about finding a babysitter for Ez, and so I had to stay home like a lazy bum. They had a BLAST! I really regret not going with them, and I've vowed to not let my shyness about asking for help prevent me from making memories in the future--and missing out on seeing this little cutie learn new things!

Au Revoir! Adiós! Tchau! Shalom! Zài Jiàn!

2009-05-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

I'm going to miss my Ross Partners like CRAZY!! It has been an amazing two years...

You May Call Him Master-Master Hall

2009-05-05T12:35:00.000-05:00

The bigger one, not the two-year-old (though I'm sure Felix would like it if you deferred to him as your master as well). Hooray for Brian! On May 1st he graduated from the Ross School of Business with an MBA, and from the Music School with a MMus. Goooo, Brian!

We were so lucky to have Dave and Sharon came into town to watch Brian receive his diplomas and celebrate with us. Well, that was the excuse, but I know they mostly just wanted to see the grandbabies. :D

Brian being inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma (smarty-pants business society)

Brian Hall, MMMBA. aka Mr. Adorable (um, to me at least)

Where's Brian?

The Hall Clan

Bri, Ez, and Me.

(Felix was probably chasing a school bus or something)

Plotting out his next move...

Dad & Son :)

Thanks for coming out to visit us, Dave and Sharon! We love you a ton.

And I am so very proud of you, Brian! Some day when I'm all grown up maybe I'll get a master's degree, too.

Blessing

2009-03-07T19:49:00.003-06:00

Last Sunday (March 1) Brian gave little Ezra a name and blessing in sacrament meeting. It was a wonderful experience, and we felt very fortunate to have loving family and friends in the circle surrounding and supporting our family. In the beautiful blessing Brian mentioned Ezra's kind and gentle disposition, something I can definitely confirm. He definitely is the sweetest, most mellow baby, and I feel so blessed to have the privilege of raising him. :)

Grandpa Dave and Grandma Sharon flew out all the way from Phoenix--how generous of them! Felix remembered Dave right away, and they had lots of fun playing together. It was great to have them here, and to get to know Sharon better. I'm so glad she's in our family.

My Dad also came up, which was quite a feat in and of itself! I am soo glad he came though. He stayed with us for a few days after the blessing, and had a great time talking and playing with the boys. (A funny note is that without prompting, he calls my Dad "Papa", which is what I called my Dad's dad, and what my Dad called his grandpa. How did Felix figure that out?) I loved watching my Dad play with Felix, and seeing them develop a special relationship. I hope we can see him again soon!

Also, a few days before the blessing, Grandma Polly surprised us with a visit to Ann Arbor! It was a blast to have her here, and we managed to squeeze a lot in during her short stay. Here are some shots of Felix and Ezra with their beautiful Grandma.

Unfortunately, my Mom wasn't able to make it up for the blessing, but she did send her love--and the adorable blessing outfit and knit blanket.

I'm so grateful for our loving, supportive families, and for the opportunities we have to spend time building our relationships and creating memories together. I'm also glad that Ezra gave us a reason to get together. We can't wait to see everyone again soon!

A Thousand Words

2009-02-27T15:32:00.000-06:00

Laura, he's never 'just playing quietly'.

Never.

Some Recent Pics

2009-02-22T15:41:00.000-06:00

15 Minutes of Fame....

2009-02-12T19:38:00.011-06:00

Here's Brian's:

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/feb2009/bs2009022_191866.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_news+%2B+analysis

What could be better than notoriety for unemployment? At least it's trendy right now... :)

Ezra Jackson Hall

2009-01-18T16:14:00.011-06:00

The newest installment to the Hall family joined us yesterday, January 17th at 8:43 am!

First the stats, with Felix's to compare:

gestational age: 37 weeks, 5 days (F: 37 weeks, 1 day)
weight: 5 lbs, 14 oz (F: 5 lbs, 3 oz)
length: 18 3/4 in (F: 19 in)
eyes: nondescript gray (F: ditto...his turned bright blue after a few weeks)
hair: tons of soft, dark, wavy hair, with some serious sideburns (F: a fair amount of dark straight hair)
features: Laura's eyes, nose, ears, mouth we think (F: a little Brian clone!) [this is so subjective, and could and does change over time!]
labor: 5 hrs start to finish--all of it pretty intense (F: 10 hrs--5 hrs of it intense)

Now the story:

I'd been having contractions off and on for a few days, but nothing continuous, although I knew from my last two OB checkups that I was moving in that direction. Then on Thursday I woke up at about 3:30am to increasingly strong contractions that were first 10, then 8 to 6 minutes apart. I tried to rest in between contractions, and began to realize that this was really labor!

By 6:30 things were getting painful, and so I let Brian know. I took a nice warm bath, which really helped me through those moderately intense contractions. I guessed I was at about 5 or 6 cm when I was through with my shower at 7:00, because the contractions took a lot of focus and effort to sort of “stay on top of” mentally, but they weren't horribly painful.

By 7:30 Brian was up, Felix was getting ready to go to our friend's house (with all of 5 minute’s notice…thank you SO MUCH, Shakespears!), and I was really having to work to get through the first few contractions of transition (7 to 10 cm), in between drying my hair and putting on makeup, of course. Brian was very supportive and helpful, switching from “super dad” mode to “super labor coach” mode as he got Felix ready and the car loaded up. From then on the contractions came about every 2 minutes, and lasted about 90 seconds… so not much regrouping time in between! And boy were they intense; it took everything I had to work through them. But I just kept thinking about the light at the end of the tunnel—how we’d get to meet our baby boy in just a few minutes!

So we arrived at the U of M hospital triage at about 8:15: 9 cm, 100% effaced, with the baby at a +3 station (as low as possible before pushing), and the amniotic sac bulging. So after about 4 more super intense contractions I was in a delivery room, and they broke my water. That triggered the urge to PUSH, and so I did! The doctor told me to “bear down” continuously, but I chose to listen to my body and line it up with the waxing/waning muscle tension during the contractions. (This might be too much info, but that really helped me not to tear much at all, the only thing I wanted to do differently this second time around!)

Well, after 2 or 3 pushes Ezra was born!!! He was placed him on my chest, and all I could think was how GORGEOUS and perfect and tiny Ezra is—and what a beautiful miracle labor, birth, and families are!

Momma and Ezra, a few minutes old

A rare glimpse of Ezra awake!

Brothers

My little boys!

First bath--should I use the whole bottle of shampoo?!

Sweet baby Ezra

There's nothing in the world like a newborn babe

Introducing...

2009-01-17T22:39:00.004-06:00

Our new baby!

...stay tuned for more details!

Belly

2008-12-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

33 Weeks

Felix loves to interact with the baby, usually just by giving the sign for "baby"when he sees my bare belly. It's fun to see him think about baby brother more often now that I'm getting bigger!

Turkey Day

2008-12-01T11:50:00.002-06:00

We traveled to Iowa this year for Thanksgiving, taking a much needed break from school and recruiting to bond with family (all 5 siblings + significant others, and Grandma Barnes!), relax, and enjoy the gourmet fare provided mostly by Rachel (with help from siblings as assigned).

Food prep by Spencer, Kelly, Aaron, and Brian

The menu was fit for a 5-star restaurant, so I wanted to record it for posterity:

Hors d'oeuvres: (by Christy and Steve)
*hummus & pita
*devilled eggs
*crudites

The meal: (by Rachel unless noted)
*apple-onion-bay scented turkey (by Dan)
*fruited cornbread dressing
*yum-yum salad (by Polly)
*mashed potatoes (by Spencer)
*seared green beans (by Brian & Laura)
*sweet potato-gruyère soufleé
*cranberry chutney preserves
*rolls (by Rachel Dennis, family friend)

Polly, Spencer, Dan, and Kelly

Rachel D., Amy K., Polly, (Spencer), Dan, Kelly, Rachel, Aaron

Christy, Steve, Rachel D.

Dessert:
*Rock Band

*and card games Second Dessert:
*Pumpkin cheesecake
*Maple-pumpkin pie
*Kentucky Derby Pie (by Kelly)

And of course, Felix had plenty of time to cuddle with Grandma Polly!

and with Great-grandma!

And lots of playtime with Aunts and Uncles.

And time to get to know the cats.

Then, sadly it was time to leave beautiful Cedar Rapids and return home to Ann Arbor. But thank goodness for Dean Bear and a comfy carseat. :)

What is the Meaning of This??

2008-09-20T22:12:00.012-05:00

Is that a baby?? It sure is! Surprise--the Hall family will be welcoming a new member in February! (2-2-09, to be precise... but since when are due dates precise?)

Let's face it, secrets are fun! And we kept this one well hidden from family until my mom came to visit and we surprised her with a little trip to the Maternal Fetal Unit of Columbia Medical Center... complete with tickets to my 10-wk ultrasound!

hi!

At my 13-wk ultrasound, the little guy would not wake up for anything (to allow them to measure the back of the neck), despite my best attempts to rouse him. That and the way he had snuggled so well into the wall of my uterus (and even found a little pillow) got my hopes up that we'd have an ace sleeper on our hands!

Pretty cute profile for an embryo, eh?

Then yesterday, it was finally time for the big 20-wk scan!!

We were so excited! I had a hundred reasons why I'd just love having either a girl or another boy. But it turns out, it's a...

Hooray !!!!!!!

(no room for doubt there...)

Our first family portrait with both kiddos

My mom cam into town for this ultrasound too--how cool! Felix loved sitting in her lap and watching the ultrasound, and seemed to want in on the action: he went up to the technician afterward, pulled up his shirt and smiled at her... as if to ask for a scan for himself!

I think the best part, though, was hearing Felix say hi to his baby brother for the first time!

I hope it's the start of a special friendship that will last forever.

Home Sweet Home

2008-08-27T21:40:00.000-05:00

It is SO NICE to be back in verdent, sweet-smelling, spacious Ann Arbor!

In addition to getting ready for classes in a week, we've had some cleaning, appointments, and general relocation tasks to take care of. Felix had a bronchoscope (outpatient surgery, to look at the shape of his airway)--which confirmed the tentative diagnosis of bronchomalasia (slightly misshapen or floppy wind pipe) in addition to asthma made back in May during his hospital stay. The surgery went well, and the diagnosis means that some of his breathing problems will go away with age (as his airways get bigger).

Illness and hospital stays are no fun, but on the bright side they mean snuggle time with an otherwise exuberant toddler!

Family time is also high on our list. Dave and Sharon meet us in Middleton, Ohio for bowling, dinner, and some serious bonding with Felix!

I've also decided to start the early phases of potty training, just to get him used to the concept. So far it's been a fun experience--he sits on the funny seat, and mom lavishes him with attention, praise, books, and toys!

Layover in Akron

2008-08-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

We're on our way to Ann Arbor, with a fun five day stop in Akron to visit my family. Here we are at the Akron Zoo with my brother Kurt and mom.

My favorite part is how Brian and I are still staring at the goats while Felix is halfway to the exit

Felix loves Grandma!

Uncle Kurt!

Excursions

2008-08-13T22:08:00.001-05:00

We're wrapping up our time in the Big Apple, and we'll be leaving on a jet plane on the 14th. Brian's last day of work was on the 8th though, so now we're trying to make the most of his time off by getting out and about!

So far we've been to the Met, The Cloisters (a branch of the Met that houses a world-class collection of Medieval paintings, tapestries, altarpieces, sculptures, and architecture in a gorgeous stone abby-like building at the northern tip of Manhattan), stood in line for $25 "lottery ticket" seats for the blockbuster Broadway hit "Wicked" three or four more times (to no avail...), played at some parks with Felix, had acaraje from a Brazillian restaurant, spent time with Uncle Dan, and also watched plenty of Olympics!

The best day, by far, though, was our trip yesterday to Jones Beach, about halfway out on the southern shore of Long Island. We took the LIRR out to Bellmore and a bus to the beach, and then spent a blossful morning there playing in the hot, golden sand and wading in the icy water. After a picnic lunch we headed north to the quaint town of Bellmore and walked around a bit looking at homes and stopping in a park to chase geese. I have to say that if we do end up in NYC, I wouldn't mind it nearly as much if I could live in a place like Bellmore. Exploring this place with Brian and Felix on a beautiful, sunny day--a perfect way to cap off our summer!

The City of Sisterly Love!

2008-08-10T21:06:00.007-05:00

Last week I had the awesome opportunity to travel down to Philly via train to visit my one-and-only, dear, sweet friend Jennie Vance. Jennie and I were roommates (unofficially and then officially, haha!) our freshman and sophomore years at the Y, but more than that we're eternal best friends. We have soo much in common, that I know we were just meant to find each other and stick together like magnets with superglue on them. Unfortunately life has taken us to separate cities, so we haven't had a chance to see each other as much as we'd like--although we do spend enough time on the phone to try and make up for the distance. And although chatting on the phone is great, but there's nothing like just being together. We made the most of our time by going to a farm to pick blackberries, visiting the Philadelphia zoo with our darling babes, making bread, playing outside (in her very own backyard!), watching chick flicks, painting our toenails, and talking into the wee hours of the night like the world might end the next day.

"Aaaaai, da!" Felix LOVED the zoo, and now says "Aaaai" to every animal (live or stuffed) and insect, and sometimes books and toys too. But not to other people. They're not furry and cute enough.

I was especially glad to be able to meet and hold her precious new daughter, Meili Grace! She is a tiny bundle of adorableness, and Jennie is falling right into her new role as double-mom (and new homeowner) with characteristic coolheaded passion. One of the things I admire most about Jennie (of many!) is her ability to experience a breadth of emotions without letting them overpower her rational abilities. I'm still working on the whole bridling-my-emotions thing, but I figure with enough practice I might be able to be more like her when I grow up. :D (Thank you so very much for your generosity, friendship, and example, Jennie!)

The only question remaining is... why in the world did I not get any pictures of Jennie and me?? Guess these snapshots from our Freshman year will have to do (we look pretty much the same, right? Except with wedding rings and different haircuts maybe. Sure...):

*Note: In like 95% of pictures from my Freshman and Sophomore years, I'm wearing Jennie's clothes, or occasionally another person's. But usually Jennie's, and often it's like the whole dang outfit, right down to borrowed earrings and necklace. Jennie's rather petite, so a lot of times clothes are a little big on her (or at least they are after I've borrowed them a few times), so Jennie got in the habit of giving me her hand-me-ups. The reason that is so completely awesome is that Brian and I are supa poor now (wait, we've always been), but we're also frugal to a blaring fault, so I rarely buy new clothes. When I do, it's like the $3 clearance jean capris from Plato's Closet (so cool). So Jennie's donations to the "Help Laura Dress Better Foundation" (fully tax-deductible) are incredibly well-appreciated. Jennie even had the supreme charity of giving me seriously like a dozen adorable shirts/pants to take back from Philly. Maybe it makes me look even more impoverished to say all that, but I just think Jennie is the most generous person in the whole world. (By the way, I definitely owe Jennie like a $500 gift card to Ann Taylor. The minute I become rich...)

Do You Dream in...

2008-08-01T07:33:00.002-05:00

Lime Green? Don't let that poker face fool ya. He loves riding around town in this thing.

Andrea, it's your lucky day! I finally was able to jump on a Phil & Ted's the minute it came up on CraigsList, and race down to the seller's apt. in lower Manhattan first thing the next morning. Since I took 26-lb Felix in a Bjorn, I was determined to buy the thing no matter what just to avoid permanent back damage from the walk home...

But the price was right, with accessories to boot, so I snatched it up!

Congrats on your new baby, Andrea. Oh, and on the little one due in Dec too. ;-P

Grandma Time!

2008-07-14T10:09:00.000-05:00

Braving bothersome airport security, crowded planes, crowded busses and subways, and scorching weather, my mom made it to NYC to visit her adoring family! I've been a little lonely in this vast city, and a visit from my mom brightened my whole summer.
We've soaked in NY life with a trip to Central Park (complete with spin on the historic Carousel!), a stroll around midtown with a stop at FAO Schwarz, a visit to Steinway Hall and a yummy Italian restaurant, and a night at the Manhattan Temple.

Her visit was great, and she loved seeing Felix and the place we're living, however, she did request that if we return to NYC that we live out in the suburbs... I see we think alike ;)

Four Years Down, An Eternity to Go

2008-07-12T19:53:00.010-05:00

On July 10, Brian and I celebrated our Fourth Wedding Anniversary!

Time has flown by since that beautiful July day in Nauvoo when we were sealed for time and all eternity in the temple... It seems like just a few months ago that we were dating--hiking the Y, walking to classes and Church, meeting for Devotionals, holding hands for the first time at Christmas Around the World, standing on my doorstep in Stonebridge for hours as we tried to say goodnight--and then engaged--driving down to Zion National Park to test out his new convertible, meeting each other's families, spending every single waking moment together...

Now we sometimes only spend every sleeping moment together, but we are still trying to keep our marriage strong by keeping up our daily traditions and celebrating milestones... such as anniversaries!

So this year we decided to have a night out on the town, thanks in no small part to my amazing mom coming into town to watch Felix for us! How cool is that? She braved multiple forms of public transportation and near-death by heat exhaustion to give us a holiday and spend some time with her grandson. A-mazing!

We started off the evening by meeting up in Central Park at the Pond, to go row boating. Sigh... Que Romantique!

Then it was off toward the subway, with a stroll down Madison Ave. for some window shopping. Just imagining what you would buy your spouse is almost as much fun as actually doing it! We "received" a couple of outifts from couture shops, some Tiffany jewelry, and some lovely furniture. Then we took the 7 train into Woodside, Queens for Thai food--Brian's favorite--at the gem Sripraphai. Brian loves Thai food, so much so that we spent pretty much our whole "dining out" budget on it for the first year of our marriage by eating at The Thai Chile Garden in Provo each month. That place was cheap and super-yummy, and surprisingly, the prices at Sripraphai are about the same. (That is not normal for NYC!) The food was excellent, but a tad too "authentic" (read: sear-your-tastebuds-off HOT), so we actually had to send it back to the kitchen to see if they could tone down the heat. Sad, huh? After that our jungle curry and crispy duck were awesome.

Home again on the 7, 1, and A trains, with a stop at Grand Central Station to soak in its elaborately decorated astronomical ceilings, winding hallways, and opulent interior. We finally arrived home a bit later than planned, to a slightly worried mom and a peacefully sleeping Felix.

An evening to remember!

Little Man in the Big City!

2008-06-30T13:39:00.001-05:00

Well, I think Felix is liking his time in NYC!

He gets a kick out of operating the elevator (including pushing the bright red emergency button twice so far, that they strategically place at his eye level), enjoys the sounds and lights in the subway, is entranced by the views from our windows at home, and loves the parks--especially the water features!

Felix and Manny, 26th floor buddies!

He's made some new friends too, like Manny, Graham, and Penelope.

Felix and Graham spinning in circles! Cuties :-)

He's also enjoying nursery, with minimal parting tears (well, in the two weeks he's gone so far!).

Oh, and like any true NYC kid, he loooves FAO Schwarz!

Brian and Felix on the famous FAO Schwarz Giant Keyboard

Love this pic--like father, like son. :-)

Home Sweet Home in Gotham

2008-06-30T08:42:00.003-05:00

So we're in nyc for the summer! There's a ton to catch you all up on, so I'll waste no time.

On the employment side of things, Brian's loving his work at Steinway & Sons. He's working at Steinway Hall in midtown, which is the company's flagship piano showroom on W. 57th St. It's a quick (20 min) jaunt on the express A-train from where we're living in Washington Heights, which is on the upper-upper-upper west side. He's working on an institutional sales project, and from his descriptions of the work he does I can tell he's putting what he's learned at Ross to use, so it's exciting to see those tuition dollars pay off!

In news of everyday living, it's been a bit of an adjustment for me learning to get by in this big city. New York is so complex that I can't truly say that I feel any one way about living here so far, but I've had some fun experiences to counterbalance my list of daily complaints (the constant smells of garbage and urine, the grime that's inevitable in a city with 8 mil inhabitants, the cost of living, the noise, blah blah... let's not dwell on the negative!). For one thing, the neighborhood we're living in has the biggest Dominican population outside of the DR, and there's definite familismo charm here. I sense it when men and women of all ages talk to Felix (and sometimes me) as I pass, or when they block me from crossing the street cause a biker is coming, or strike up non-small talk conversations anytime, anyplace. Perhaps a better example of this "instant cousin" feel I get here is the maintenance man who came to work on the sink, and had Felix hand him tools while he sang him a song about the "little pipe that made a BIG mess". That experience was the first to really soften my heart to the genuine humanity that lies just beneath the deceptively tough exterior of many New Yorkers. (On that note, after getting back from interviews in both LA and NYC, Brian and I were discussing the cultures of the two areas. He felt that people were "nicer" in CA, but in NY once you develop a relationship with someone, you're like family, and they respect and look out for you. He asked me, wouldn't I rather know that people's smiles and words meant something? Hmmm, I'm still chewing on that.)

Oh, and I love our apt. We're subleasing a 26th floor apt. in the Columbia Med Student housing (thank you very much, Dan!). The laundry down the hall, hardwood floors, spacious (by nyc standards!) layout, and million-dollar views of the Hudson River, tri-borough and tri-state areas are definite perks to being a stay-at-home mom this summer!

View to the northwest from bedroom window

George Washington Bridge to New Jersey over Hudson River

So, although I'm still not used to $5/gal milk and other outrageous grocery prices, I have adjusted to some of the smells, noises, and miles upon miles of daily walking that characterize domestic life here. I have met some incredibly nice people in our building and ward, and the playdates and trips to the parks have been soo nice!

Well, this post is too serious for news on the little tot, so I'm going to do a separate, livelier post for him.

Ciao!

Funny Tag Post

2008-06-28T19:41:00.000-05:00

I've never actually been blog-tagged, but I saw this one on a friend's blog and decided to put it up here since I thought it was funny. Skip this post if these bore you!

1 . YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Snoopy Celica
2.GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Vanilla Bean Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip (mmmm...)
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of last name) Lhal
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Periwinkle Mouse
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, street where you grew up) Grace Bryden
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Halla
7.SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Lavender Propel
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Kurt Robert
9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Melinda Bruce
10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 6th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Fenshaw Fairbanks
11. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Summer Sweet Pea
12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now+“ie”) Nectarine PJs
13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Mini-Wheat Dogwood
14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Sleeping Thunderstorm
15. YOUR CELEBRITY COUPLE NAME: (half of your name, half your significant other's name, mixed together in whichever order sounds best.) BriLa

Ha! OK, now I've satisfied that burning desire, I tag... whever else puts on PJs at 8:00pm... or earlier if they can get away with it.

:D

Nauvoooo!!

2008-06-28T14:46:00.020-05:00

OK, this post is entirely past due, which fact I could blame on a 5-day hospital stay (for asthma)with Felix, (during a simultaneous 5-day, 3-child babysitting job)...

...or family coming to visit...

(we love Grandpa Hall! Oh, and yes, Felix is in the mastedon display. Yep, I'm one of those parents.)

... or the general frenzy associated with moving...

(not actual photo)

...but I'll just opt to blame it on the procrastination bug.

At any rate, we went to Nauvoo, IL with our pals the Shakespears, and had a BLAST! I would do it again in a heartbeat, as long as gas doesn't tip $12 a gal or anything.

The drive was great, including the run-around breaks (oh, except for the little tornado experience an hour from Cedar Rapids. Welcome to Iowa!)

We stayed for one night in Cedar Rapids with beloved and generous Grandma Hall (it was definitely sad to leave in the morning...)

And then soaked up Nauvoo culture and scenery!

ok, and Felix just LOVED the temple! I'd been looking forward to getting a few shots of him at the Nauvoo temple since he was just a twinkle in my eye, but I was blown away by his enthusiasm to climb the stairs, run around in the portico, and touch the walls and doors. So sweet!

So fun! (oh, no comment on the slightly less-than-ethical method of entry there...)

Felix was really sad to leave the grounds though, which made for a grumpy-looking baby in the family pic... Oh well!

I love Nauvoo!

MS in Photojournaling (with an Emphasis in Felix)

2008-04-15T19:21:00.005-05:00

I'm considering switching my degree. Then I could do what spend a lot of time doing anyhow, and not feel so guilty about it.
Well, at any rate, here are the latest montages of Felix's life! Now that these are done, it's back to my real thesis, the one in Marriage and Family Therapy...

Fun with Felix:

Crawling, Cruising, and Walking... An Evolution in Mobility:

Happy Spring!

2008-04-05T22:26:00.001-05:00

A Video!

2008-04-03T17:20:00.009-05:00

You look like you need to kick back and watch a montage of pics from the life of Felix Hall. Well, I have just the thing: Pics from when Felix was 4-6 months old. Honk the green clown nose to start!
(Note: it's about 8 minutes long, so you might want to run and grab the laundry out of the dryer to fold while you soak in Felix's adorableness.)

Some Funny Observations

2008-03-07T09:35:00.006-06:00

Ever since Felix has been eating solids I've been feeding him all kinds of strange vegetables, like edamame and cabbage and brussels sprouts, and he's been eating them without a fuss. Each time he swallowed without making a face it reinforced my belief that I had really struck it lucky in getting a *special* baby who liked veggies. He would eat peas by the cupful, and snack on broccoli spears like they were a treat. Only I knew that it wasn't normal...

But then a week ago, when we were babysitting overnight for a friend, he changed his mind--and at a very inconvenient time too. We had just sat down to dinner, and I unveiled the vegetable: brussels sprouts. YUM. The two little boys (ages 5 and 4) let me know right away how they felt about the small cabbages, and so I said, "You only have to eat one each. But you might like them. Here, watch Felix, he loves them". I served Felix some cut up sprouts. He dutifully picked one up, put it in his mouth, and then, (gasp) made a face, took it out of his mouth, and deposited it on the floor, where it apparently belonged. Somehow I did get the boys to eat a few, with some help from Mrs. Salt and Mr. Pepper.

But Felix has kept up the newfound aversion, much to my dismay. Luckily it isn't all vegetables though. He'll still eat a little sweet potato and green beans, and other veggies when they're mashed up and mixed into stuff. And for some reason, he'll still eat mountains of peas, and fruit too, so I'm not too worried about him becoming vitamin deficient, just annoyingly picky...

But the funny thing is that he'll still eat any kind of vegetable when he can beg it off of me, no matter the form. It seems like he likes the treat of eating some of mom's food. I thought this was funny until I realized that I kind of do the same thing: For example, I'm a big fan of Whole Foods. OK, to be honest, I'm more of a fan of their ridiculously generous sampling policy. (Secret: sometimes Felix and I pretty much eat lunch there. Don't tell.) But I eat samples of things I probably wouldn't eat on my own, because things seem to taste better in small bites I guess. So I guess Felix is just becoming more normal. Really, I need to face the truth: normal kids do NOT like cabbage!

Another thing I've noticed is that he's a snacker. I've been a little annoyed by this, because it seems like he barely finishes a meal before he's begging for something I'm eating. How can he be hungry so soon?? But did you catch the clue? He wants what I'm eating, because I'm a snacker. I'd rather eat six or eight (healthy) snacks a day than have meals, especially because Brian hasn't been home for any meals for a couple of days now. (Betcha didn't know that part of the objective of business school is to fatten the students up with lavish meals, but apparently it is. It doesn't work on Brian though, probably because he uses recruiting events as lunch. And dinner. Then brings home the extras for me!) Anyhow, I've decided that if I don't want Felix to snack his life away, I'd better stop doing it.

OK, one last funny observation: I finally went running this morning, the first time in about a month. I've been itching to go ever since Ann Arbor became a tropical paradise (ie, reached 34 degrees), but today was the first day this week that Brian didn't have to be at school at 8:00am. This morning as I was jogging, I thought about how as a mom I need to find more efficient ways to exercise, because it's not always convenient to wait for the one day Brian has some time off. So I decided maybe I should stop driving to Kroger (it's all of a quarter mile away), and hovering around parking lots for 10 minutes trying to get a close spot, as if I'd die if I had to walk 20 more feet to the entrace of a store. I'm sure I could think of some other ideas too, like going on more walks with the Fe Man, and maybe even walking to the business school to meet Bri for lunch once in a while. Wow, those wheels are starting to turn! Now let's see if I can turn those thoughts into action.

Anyhow, that's enough rambling from me. Here's some pics of the Little MAN!

More soon!

One Night in The City That Never Sleeps

2008-03-03T09:04:00.004-06:00

For Brian, job-searching hasn't followed the typical MBA routine: 1) resume drop, 2) interview on campus, 3) second round fly-back interview 4) offer. Since he's bound by his dual Music degree to complete an internship related to the arts, he's been working on expanding his network. Fortunately, this January he had the opportunity to meet hundreds of people in a fascinating industry, Music Instruments. It was the NAMM show in Anaheim that gave Brian an introduction to two companies he admires very much:and

Having never visited the office of either company, Brian was really excited to see Yamaha Corporation of America's headquarters in Buena Park (just up the road from Anaheim). It seemed as though seeing Steinway's factory headquarters in Queens, NY would have to wait, perhaps in the form of a drop-in visit over Spring break in conjunction with a promised visit to Brian's brother Dan, who lives in Manhattan. A few weeks later, though, Steinway & Sons invited Brian to go out to NY. The timing and arrangements didn't quite work out for a family adventure, though, which was a little unfortunate because Dan is just crazy about Felix!

So Brian flew out by himself yesterday afternoon, and comes back this afternoon. Since my phone wigged out (again) I haven't talked to him since last night. So we shall find out shortly how it went!

Update from Brian: I did get an internship offer from Steinway & Sons and I am very excited about the prospect of working closely with one of the world's leading luxury brands.

What a Week to Leave...

2008-01-21T19:26:00.007-06:00

So Brian has been out of town this past week at a big music industry trade show in LA. (called NAMM). He was invited out by the VP of Kawai, and has been looking forward to this for a while. He staying with an Iowa buddy who's in chiropractic school in Orange County and lives in Anaheim, where the show is being held. We're so grateful that he has had a place to stay, because we've only had to pay for the flight and rental car ($12 a day. Priceline, baby!). And you know Brian would rather live off of the trail mix, dried fruit, and easy mac I packed for him than spend a dime on food!

The show has been great, and he is just loving being in LA in the middle of winter (yep, I'm jealous!), but I sure do miss him here. Normally Brian's gone all day and often late into the evening, but I'm lonely after Felix goes to bed. Anyhow, I started REALLY wanting Brian home when Felix came down with this awful flu thing that seemed to completetly close down his lungs. The poor little guy was coughing, lethargic, and struggling for oxygen all day. He just wanted to be held and couldn't play or even sleep well. So I took him to the pediatrician and found out he had bronchiolitis, which means his bronchioli were infected and inflamed, leaving little room for air. My poor Felix! He's now on a regimen of an oral steroid and an aerosolized bronchiodialator. That means he gets to drink some medicine (which he liked, yum), and sit through 4 breathing treatments a day, at 20 minutes apiece (which he HATED, YUCK!).

It looks a lot like this. Except fewer crayons and more screaming and tears. And less of Felix holding the mask, and more of me trying desparately to hold it over his face while he writhes and tries to pull it off. So actually, it looks nothing like this.

I guess that doesn't sound so bad, and admittedly it could have been a lot worse. But on top of all the normal baby and household stuff, it's been exhausting. It seems to be working though, so I'm super grateful for that!

But, the kicker is that I was supposed to give a talk on Sunday, and actually had it pretty much written by the time Felix became really sick. There was no way I was taking this kid out though, and without Brian here, I had to miss Church for the first time in... well, since I can remember. (Yep, Felix went to Church in St. George at 3 days old...) The bishop promised he wouldn't forget about me though, lol.

Oh, but the GREAT news is that my mom is coming into town tomorrow! And guess what? She's a respiratory therapist. Boy do I love my mom. I always love my mom. But today I also really love her job. :-)

It's Unacceptable

2008-01-15T15:51:00.002-06:00

For me to have a blog, and now the internet, and not have posted any recent pictures! This sad era of my life is about to end. So here are some photos of our recent adventures:*

*Please excuse the pathetic lack of clarity in most of these pics... our camera suffered a little head trauma last August (on Brian's M-Trek) and we just now (Jan '08) got it repaired. It seriously takes us that long to make any kind of financial decision.

Christmas in Iowa with Grandma Hall, Aunt Christy, Uncle Dan, Aunt Rachel, and Uncle Spencer!

Exploring with Uncle Dan

Meeting the Cat Handsome Hall Guys! Isn't the resemblence great??
WHOAH!!!
Santa was feeling generous! Lots and Lots of Grandma time!

No gift receipt here...

Grandma helps Felix open a gift from Aunt Christy!

The holiday wouldn't have been comlete without a major appliance giving out on us.

So we washed our dishes from our delicious Christmas Eve dinner in the bathroom :-)

Wait, Rachel planned and prepared the feast... why is she cleaning up? I think she's off the hook for next year...

Swimming in a sea of paper...

with a bow

In the vein of a true first-time Grandma, Polly wanted to hold Felix around the clock! :-D

Felix loves storytime with Grandma

FINALLY!!!!!!

2008-01-11T15:24:00.001-06:00

AT&T, you do lousy business (I've been signed up for service since OCTOBER!), but I'm willing to use your internet since it's like 3/5 the price of Comcast's...

The main point is: WE HAVE THE INTERNET!!!!!!!!!

This means:
1. No more excuses as to why I'm still on "maternity leave" from writing my master's thesis
2. Brian will be home more, since he won't have to go on campus at all hours of the day and night to do the technology thing
3. I will feel like more of the AA-2nd LDS ward since they awesomely send out emails about everything
4. I'll be able to read the Relief Society lessons and blog (thank goodness for Andrea!)
5. One punctuated word: endless.com
6. wikipedia, oh how I've missed you.
7. craigslist.org, the poor college student's version of window shopping for furniture
8. Reading other people's blogs, to hear the oh-so-interesting silly details of the lives of other families.
9. And of course, sharing my own family's adventures and cute pics!