SeaWorld 08

I'm not one to force people to look at hundreds of my pictures, but our SeaWorld trip was so much fun, I thought it might do everyone some good to be a little jealous.


Drew gets excited about things like rocks and grass, so you can imagine her excitement when dolphins swam and jumped right past her.

Her face must have been sore from being wide open all day.



She had to fight the seagulls to keep her snacks safe.

Her new thing was holding hands. She wanted to lead us everywhere around the park.

Can everyone remember their first bite of hot, steamy, tasty churro? I hope she will remember hers.

Her new "ma-mu" puppet has rarely left her sight.

Shark exhibit is awesome.

Our Elmo-loving girl had a great time in the Sesame Street play land.

She wrestled a few penguins.

Tried out the merchandise.

And crashed late in the afternoon when she couldn't keep her little eyes open any longer.

I never thought SeaWorld could ever be this much fun with a one-year-old. But Drew is possibly the best little girl ever, we have decided.

Have a happy Christmas!

Picky Drew

What Drew used to eat: everything.

What she will now eat: nothing.

Today I lovingly buttered and toasted up a grilled cheese sandwich for Drew's lunch, to which she politely shook her head and said, "no." Okay, since when do you not like cheese? You have always loved cheese. And when have you decided to not like anything that I thoughtfully prepare for you?

You can not live your life off of fruit snacks and Goldfish!

My dear mother was at least a two-meal maker, and sometimes a three-meal maker. By this I mean she would make dinner, and make something different for Shawnda and sometimes me if we didn't like what was made. I'm not going to lie, I was a very picky eater growing up! I hardly EVER tried anything new. Mom, did you create this monster in me??? Although I wouldn't call myself picky anymore, I am very conservative in my foods and far from adventurous. (Alright, maybe I am still a smidge picky.)

I do not want to be a two-meal maker! What is that, Drew? You are not particularly fond of that grilled cheese today? While I appreciate your politeness, "no" is not an option on the menu. So it is the grilled cheese or the highway for you.

Actually, I tossed the grilled cheese and cut up an apple instead. I two-mealed it. The girl's only 15-months old! But you can imagine what is in her future if she keeps this up.

A Series of Unfortunate Events...

Shawnda: Oh, yay it's my niece I am so excited to see! I am going to run and pick her up first thing when I see her.
Drew: Um, I remember this lady a little bit, but she is starting to freak me out. I will try and keep my distance by pushing away with my arms.




Shawnda: Oh, come on Drew, kisses and hugs and I love yous.
Drew: Okay, get me out of here.
Nathan: It's okay Shawnda.



Drew: If I don't look at her maybe she will go away.
Shawnda: Just a little kiss?


Drew is having a little trouble adjusting to all the new people. Not just Shawnda. She has given everyone a temporary shun who is not named mama or dada. We are working on the un-shun.

I've had some time on my hands

Since Jason has been gone the last six nights or so, I've had some free time on my hands after Drew goes to bed at night. This dress is my latest creation. Since I draw the pattern on my own, I never really know if it will fit her well or not in the end. Luckily, it fits like a dream.

She is perfect to make clothes for because I could tie a trash bag around her waist and she would make it look good. But she is pretty amazing in zebra stripes.

My philosophy on little girl's clothes:

1. It should be something that I would most likely wear if it were made in my size.

2. It MUST be comfortable fit.

3. And it MUST go on and come of easy. Elastic waists are the best. Things can still look fashionable and have elastic waistbands.

I love Drew's round little belly and am sad when I have to zip and button up her jeans and they dig right in when she bends over. Babies shouldn't be subject to the uncomforts of fashion at such an early age.

Drew meets Santa

The anticipation was rising. We could see glimpses of his bright red hat from the distance. Drew and I waited in line as each child took their turn on stage to sit on Santa's lap.

Drew could barely be held as she kicked her feet, clapped her hands, and said over and over again, "Sa-ta, Sa-ta." Every time she looked and caught a glimpse of Santa, she turned to me with big eyes and the biggest oval open mouth like she could not believe who was sitting in that chair waiting for her.

This continued until we were next in line.

Then, with each step I took towards the big, hairy man, Drew began to realize what was going to happen. I started to feel tiny little nails dig into my back and she fell silent. As I bent down and let go of Drew to release her to big and hairy, I noticed something was still attached to me. With the sheer strength of her thighs and her will and determination to live, she held onto me for dear life.

But no tears and she did manage to snatch a candy cane.





I love this little thing.



Um, her little legs need to be nibbled up. She kills me.

Annual Ward Christmas Party, success.

It's Frightful Here

Somebody loves the snow and doesn't mind that it's 20 degrees outside.





I substituted a third grade class a while ago and we were reading a story about a boy who lived in Arizona. I was telling them how I am from Arizona and where I lived it never snowed. Everyone's mouths dropped open like it was unheard of and a boy said completely seriously, "You never had Christmas?"

I started laughing and assured the boy that you can have Christmas time even without the snow. To which everyone else in the class said, "uh uh," "no way," and "no you can't." We definitely had a hard time getting back to the story we were reading.

But it is true that watching big fluffy snow fall (which is the only kind I like) and everything covered in white definitely makes the Christmas season that much better.

The problem is come February when there is still tons of snow, the holidays are over with, and all you could use is a little sun. Come February those third graders are going to be begging for my Arizona sun.

Cute skirt, right?

I made it.

Pretend you have never had a washing machine. You wash your clothes by hand. And you wash a lot of clothes. And then one day you get a washing machine, and you feel like singing.

That is how I felt when I used my new Singer Profinish Serger machine for the first time this week. I wanted to jump up and sing. This skirt was conceived, worked on, and born all in one single nap time. I heard Drew waking up upstairs just as I finished the last stitches. I had never dreamed such a project could be done in that amount of time.

And just wait till you see Drew in it. I am obsessed with her and ruffles. And for once I don't care if you look closely at my work, inside and out. Every stitch looks professional with my new machine.

Are adults wearing ruffles these days?

The Match

Jason has five more months of medical school, and only a few more months until our lives fall into the hands of "the match". Here's how it works:

1. Jason applies to a lot of programs (September)

2. He gets interview offers and goes on interviews (December-January)

3. We rank all of the programs he has interviewed at in number order where we would like to go, and the programs rank all the people they interviewed (February)

4. The National Resident Match Program uses a matching algorithm to put students into programs based on everyone's rank lists (March)

5. We get a letter telling us where we will live for the next five years (March 16)

It is just a little concerning to me that our future lies in the hands of a math algorithm. But I figure, if we can live in Iowa of all places and love it, then I think we would be happy most anywhere.

Jason is in Pennsylvania and New York right now and I am really hoping he can somehow drive through Scranton. It would make my week.

And Jason, I cracked open a can of your Mountain Dew tonight... something I would never do if you were in the same state as me.

And Drew says, "wuv wuv."