Boone Bunch Blog

Grandma's Tahoe Photoshoot...

2011-07-15T00:32:00.002-04:00

For as long as I can remember, Mom has dreamed of having a photoshoot of all her granddaughters in white dresses running through the woods with crowns on their heads. We got pretty close in Tahoe this summer.

The girls are beautiful, of course...

...but the boys in their retro white T-shirts stole my heart. They were in heaven!

Props and thanks to Kathryn for another amazing job on the photography!

MBA Graduation...

2011-05-20T18:59:00.004-04:00

Congratulations Paris! We are so proud of you.

For 18 months it felt like Paris did nothing but eat, breath, and sleep MBA textbooks. His hardwork and dedication have finally paid off! And we are SO very glad to have him back.

Nana and Granddad came out for the festivities.

Yay for Fresno State's Craig School

of Business

high honors graduate,
Paris O. Boone, MBA, SPHR.

(But we just call him Daddy.)

Merry Christmas, 2010!

2010-12-25T11:42:00.006-05:00

We love Christmas!

We love remembering the Savior's life

while creating new and lasting memories.
We've had such a wonderful year

and we know we are richly blessed.

2010 included an Anniversary getaway, pregnancy and bedrest, plenty of time with the Ryan family, LOTS of busy nights and weekends for Paris, Wyatt starts school, SWEET baby Lincoln, visits from Nana and Granddad, Morgan on a mission, Paris and George to China, Paris finishes MBA at Fresno State!, and a whole lot of fun.

It's Raining Men...I Mean, Boys!

2010-07-06T13:07:00.002-04:00

Can you imagine the chaos, noise, dirt and fun that will surely

bombard Grandma's house for the next 18 years?

Brittany, Irene and I are each having a boy this summer (all within a month.)

Kathryn came over and sprung me from the couch long enough to have a preggo photo shoot.

Notice how relaxed we all look. For now. :)

Happy Father's Day?

2010-06-22T07:53:00.000-04:00

Classic. The things a great father does for his kiddos.

Like spending Father's Day disinfecting the house and cleaning the aftermath of 3 kids and a bedridden wife with the stomach flu. Washing all bedding and all towels. Mopping, then mopping again, the again. Following kids around with buckets "just in case." Emergency Target run for lysol, chix soup, bleach and Gatorade. (We only fed the kids the soup and Gatorade.)

Not exactly the breakfast-in-bed-and-handmade-cards-before-wearing-his-new-tie-to-church kind of father's Day, but I think Paris proved why he's the best Daddy.

So let's get a little bit rowdy for P-A-R-I-S! Happy Father's Day.

11th Anniversary Getaway...

2010-05-02T12:47:00.006-04:00

Anniversary 2010 - Cruise to Catalina and Ensenada

Catalina was our favorite.

We rode a tandem bike to the botanical garden and Wrigley Memorial.

(Succulents as far as the eye can see...Paris was in Heaven!)

It rained, so all the tourists re-boarded.

Then it cleared up and we had the island all to ourselves!

We hiked to the mansion and rode all over. It was fabulous.

Ensenada was, well, not as pretty. (We didn't even take any pictures.)

But we did have fun riding ATV's on the beach and Paris bought matching Nacho Libre and Mucha Lucha wresting masks for himself and the kids, so it worth debarking. :)

We especially liked the ping pong and mini-golf onboard.

Made some new friends at dinner.

(We lucked out and had a great group.)

All Because 2 People Fell In Love...

2010-04-23T11:22:00.006-04:00

To paraphrase Cheaper By the Dozen,

11 years, 3 1/2 kids and many adventures later...

and we've still got the heat!

I love you, Paris.

2009-12-25T19:43:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!

Fare Thee Well, Dear Civ...

2009-12-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

Paris and I have known for months that we have to do something about our car situation. It's time to get some more room. Poor Atticus was crammed between 2 carseats in the Civic's backseat...Roomy! Plus, when we have the kids in the car there's no room for groceries.

(And they INSIST on eating...So inconvenient.)

So we procrastinated. And pondered.

How do you get rid of part of the family?

How do you sell the only car you've bought brand new? The one you got after you graduated college and had a real job where they actually paid you to take vacation? The first car you didn't buy from a relative or out of the paper for $800 or less?

How do you sell the car that you cruised California in as newlyweds?

That you took every weekend on fun getaways?

How do you get rid of the car that brought each of your babies home from the hospital?

The one that each of those babies subsequently locked themselves into at some point? ("Just push that little silver button for Mommy. I know you can do it!")

The car that took you to the opposite corner of the country on a 5-year adventure and then back again?

And then, more practically, how DO you sell a car that looks perfect to you but has 185,000 miles and lots of "love marks?"

Then it came to me in an instant...

You go out with a bang!

You give your glorious Civic the appropriately dramatic conclusion to 10 years of faithful service. You take a clue from Thelma and Louise and late Friday night you rear-end the heck out of an SUV in the rain. Problem solved.

(Disclaimer: No children, Mommies, or SUV owners were harmed in the making of this blog post.)

Finally, you hold a candlelight vigil the following Monday night and then bid a grateful adieu to an inatimate object you've loved like one of your own. Civic, we'll miss you.

Well, maybe not Atticus.

Life's Simple Pleasures...

2009-11-18T16:16:00.002-05:00

This time of year we're all pondering what we're grateful for.

Isn't it fantastic?

This morning it hit me...

By about 5:00 each morning each of our kids has

independently slipped into bed with us.

6:30, then, greets us with higher pitched snores

and tiny hands draped across our bodies.

Occasionally we get a whiff of junior morning breath

(which is surprisingly cute when it's your own kid.)

I'm grateful for family snuggles and

warm little bodies to dogpile each morning.

(Oh, and our King-sized bed.)

Pumpkin Patch, 2009 A.K.A. Return of the Prodigal Bloggers

2009-11-10T03:16:00.006-05:00

Okay, so I admit it. I'm a pumpkin patch elitist.I'm sure the "patch" at Blackstone and Shaw avenues suffice for some families (said with a slight hint of disdain/pity.)
But we were so glad we took a little road trip to Kerman to find this gem.

The patch provided a fun tractor-powered hay ride...

but it was no match for the Daddy-powered wheelbarrow ride!

Crumbs and Nate's Wedding

2009-05-03T00:31:00.002-04:00

One of the reasons I haven't blogged much is because Kathryn and I have been busy getting our wedding cake business, Crumbs, up and running.

We had a blast making this cake for Nate Adams and his bride, Emelie.
We've both agreed this is our favorite cake yet.
Consequently, this is now the official Crumbs Signature Cake! :)

Easter 2009

2009-04-26T00:52:00.000-04:00

J

2009-04-21T21:36:00.002-04:00

Pressing Questions of Life...

2009-04-20T11:07:00.006-04:00

Where did I come from?

Where am I going?

WHY has the song Eternal Flame (The Bangles, Circa late 80's)

been stuck in my head for 4 STRAIGHT DAYS?!

Forget the waterboarding debate, I've found what most

would consider a humane form of torture. Or is it?

Cowboy Wyatt Turns Three...

2009-04-11T01:31:00.002-04:00

Wyatt has turned three. Happy birthday, sweet boy.

To honor his obsession with bounce houses and anything cowboy we had a bouncin' cowboy party!

Our motley crew...Grandma and Grandpa, Ryans, Poduskas and Boones.

Wyatt was in heaven! I could hardly get any pictures of him because playing as hard as he did is hard business for a recently-turned-three-year-old!

We lucked out and had both rooms almost completely to ourselves.

(Which, as it turns out, allowed us to do all sorts of forbidden but really fun things!)

I like to call this next clip, "Spare my life!"

Ryan was somewhat unimpressed.

Cousin Mitchell, on the other hand...

Back to Grandma and Grandpa's for cake and gifts.

This picture cracks me up. Look closely and you'll see Wyatt, Paris and I in slack-jawed awe over Finn's gift from the dollar store. Captivating!

What's a birthday party without a birthday suit?

Toward the end we noticed Wyatt wearing (as Grandpa put it) nothin' but a hat and a grin.

Uh, Honey...Could you sanitize the new sit-n-bounce?

Wyatt, we love you. You bring nothing but joy, love, and FUN to our home.

'Til it's Gone...

2009-01-27T16:04:00.002-05:00

You never know what you've got until it's gone.

I never realized how much I use the computer until recently. Shortly after moving here our laptop's video card had something-or-other-computer-messed-up-thingy happen to it. (Yes, that's the technical term.)

So if I have any friends in Florida or elsewhere who still read this blog I'm truly sorry I haven't been emailing, blogging or reading blogs lately. I just don't have access to a computer like I'd like to.

How spoiled are we, anyway?! I did my taxes in about 95 minutes last night. It wasn't all that long ago you had to go to the library and get booklet after booklet of instructions. And then you had to READ them! I love technology.

Anyway, the laptop is off to HP and should be returning in the next week or two. Yay! Then family history via blog shall return.

Eternal Gifts

2008-12-27T14:07:00.001-05:00

So it's over. But I don't want it to end.

In an effort to stretch it out a little I'd like to share one of my new favorite Christmas songs. It reminds me of this image I've always liked:

I love how Santa worships the original and purest example of charity and selflessness.

The song is Eternal Gifts, by Leigh Nash.
It wasn't on playlist, but it can be heard at: http://www.last.fm/music/Leigh+Nash/_/Eternal+Gifts?autostart
I think it's quite sweet:

Eternal Gifts

Santa knows what I want for Christmas
but Jesus knows what I need
it can't be purchased wrapped up and placed
under an ephod tree

I need patience, kindness - virtues like these
to bend on my knee at the manger
Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

some days come where I'm playing selfish
I can't think of no one but me
then I think of all that I'm blessed with
and that's always best to give than to receive

I need faithfulness, love, generosity
to open my home to a stranger
Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

I need patience, kindness, generosity
to bend on my knee at the manger
Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior
by LeighNash

Everybody's Workin for the Weekend

2008-12-23T00:05:00.003-05:00

Shortly after this was taken,

Ryan was seen zipping around the house like this.

(I wrongly assumed "Would you please take her Christmas dress off?" implied the expectation that other clothes would be put on her. Bless Daddy.)

Which had us in stitches because it instantly reminded us of this:

(Imagine that hair bow around her neck.)

For those of you who did not graduate from high school in the 90's I'm including the original SNL clip, despite brief internal conflict. Yes, I know, Patrick Swayze does an embarrasingly thorough job in his supposed audition. But let's be real, would it be nearly as funny otherwise?

The hair!

Patrick Swayze - Chippendale
by tressage

Can I Get a Little Sassy-Frass With That, Please?

2008-12-11T00:57:00.006-05:00

This is Reagan MacKenzie Chase.

She's pretty adorable as 3 year old nieces go; sassy, adventurous, funny, and doesn't take grief from anyone!

And she's helpful. Se "helped" me pack up the house before we moved. Suddenly she had an epiphany, "Kasey, I move to California wiff you? I pack my bags and go wiff you?" She, of course, has this way of asking questions without any inflection. They're more like statements, even though she waits for a reply out of courtesy. How do you refuse this face?

You don't. You say, "Of course you can move to California with us! But you have to ask your mom first."

Imagine my suprise when, 20 minutes later, the door flies open and I hear, "She...said.....YES!"

Imagine our further surprise when we arrive in California (after she reluctantly decided not to go) and find this suspicious box packed in with ours. Notice her meticulous labeling skills. It was even sealed with packing tape!

But our favorite surprise was the contents:

2 complete outfits, including shoes: 1 for warm and 1 for cool weather

2 mismatched socks

Her sister's brand new tennis shoes for school

A hair tie

Travel sized Book of Mormon

A bra (why a 3 year-old needs a bra is a mystery. I guess she intended to stay for a LONG time.)

And 7 (yes, SEVEN) pair of underwear

And so, dear Reagan, this one goes out to you. We miss you terribly. We wish you were here. However, we now have pure confidence in your ability to succeed in life. When it comes to preparation for making dreams come true you've got mad skills.

'Tis the Season!

2008-12-08T01:13:00.006-05:00

I believe music is one of the greatest joys of the Christmas season.

(Apparently it is for Atticus as he requested "a little Christmas tunage" the other day.)

Our move to California has afforded me 3 fabulous, live "Christmas tunage" opportunities in the last couple weeks.

1. We have joined the Clovis Adult School bell choir.

It's technically for retirees, but we moved from Florida so I guess they figure that counts. Monday nights Paris, Mom, Kathryn and I head over to my old high school choir room and don the white gloves. The result is admittedly sometimes dreadful, but always entertaining. And fun!

2. The Messiah Sing-Along

Fresno First Presbyterian Church holds an annual Messiah sing-along the weekend after Thanksgiving. I've been learning the alto part since April of this year in hopes of finding a sing-along in Florida. Little did I know I'd need it for the Fresno one. Go fig.

Mom, Irene, Merrily Bonnet, Sandy Cusak and I headed downtown!

The event is accompanied by a full orchestra and is simply gorgeous.

We sat in the loft. Turned out to be the best seat in the house.

The only unenjoyable part of the night was realizing the man singing the most beautiful opening tenor solos was a boy I had babysat back in the day...Slight buzz kill.

3. The 26th Annual, Fresno East Stake Relief Society Christmas Choir

(Muchas gracias to Mom who fought valiantly to save me a spot since I missed most rehearsals.)

This annual concert is a community event a year in the making. Women from the stake rehearse every Sunday for months in preparation. It's hard work, but there is nothing in the world like singing in a choir led by a talented, professional director and which is enhanced by the Spirit because of its message and purpose.

It's exhilarating and humbling at the same time.

We had professional lighting for the performance. Once those stage lights come on it's hard to see much of anything, not even your music. This uncomfortable phenomenon created a beautiful opportunity for me personally.

This painting of Christ Ordaining the Apostles hangs in the east foyer of the stake center. It is a lovely, looooong painting.

Due to my placement on the stand, the angle of the open chapel door, and the lighting in the foyer this was all I could see Friday and Saturday during the hour we sang of the Savior's birth:

I was touched to be reminded so poignantly of the purpose - the PERSON - behind the glorious songs we were singing. This fun-filled, family-oriented month is all about the birth of the King of Kings whose most humble beginning foreshadowed His humble life of service and sacrifice.

My favorite song was a lullaby sung from Mary's perspective. "Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep 'til the dawn starts to break."

I was especially touched by this phrase as I thought of our trials of the last few months, job hunting and relocating amid national financial and employment crises. I remembered feeling the same reassurance over and over again as we searched for the right job..."Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep 'til the dawn starts to break."

I'm grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who loves us all with the pure love a mother has for her newborn babe. I'm grateful for the peace and blessings we've been given this year. I pray for others facing life-trials to feel that hope, experience peace in their hearts, and recognize divine love throughout this season until their dawns break.

Thank you to Leslie Woods and the stake Relief Society presidency for providing the women in the choir this opportunity. I am forever changed by it.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-02T18:48:00.010-05:00

Ah, october. Love, love, LOVE it.

Atticus really got into decorating the house this year... Inside and out.

We also greatly appreciated a Halloween CD Debbie Carter made for the boys.

A week before Halloween we crashed Leesburg/Eustis's Trunk or Treat.

We had a great time seeing old friends and making a few new ones.

My Betty Suarez costume from Ugly Betty went over swimmingly. :)

Well, at least Hannah Teets recognized me. Bless that girl.

After trunk or treat we spent the evening with Bryan and Amanda.

Aren't Cayd and Ryan too cute together? We're considering having George draft paperwork for an arranged marriage. Could work.

Our other outings were less costumey. We stole this dual purpose tie dye shirt idea from Rhea.

1. We were obnoxiously matchy matchy which I, of course, adore.
2. It kept us from losing any of the kids, like we almost did last year. Terrifying!

We hit 2 Fall festivals this October, including one in Oxford and one on Halloween night at the Sumter County Fairgrounds.

Atticus decided to be a dice at the last minute. We happended to have a few boxes hanging around. :)

Wyatt's obsession with hats was not thwarted, though we forgot his frieman hat. Allusions were made to Parenthood with Steve Martin.

The fairground had bouncehouses in every shape and size. Plus cotton candy, soda, hot dogs, games, costume contests, etc. It was super fun!

Only, there were SO many redneck costumes! How embarassing to have the same costume as half the county. I'd rather be Betty any day, thank-you-very-much.

What's that? Those weren't costumes? My mistake.

All in all October 2008 can be ruled a great success - Five thumbs up!

Congratulations to Paris!

2008-10-31T08:12:00.003-04:00

Of the jobs Paris has looked into in California, he was most excited about an HR consulting firm called Sierra HR Partners. We're excited to announce they called yesterday to offer him the job. Yay for P-Dog!

So it's packing tape and moving trucks for the next week. We're off to the Golden State. Our estimated date of departure is November 7th, just in time to give Tim a birthday gift in person.

Crazy.

Let's Go fly a Kite!

2008-10-30T11:38:00.000-04:00

We have had the most beautiful weather lately.

Last week in particular we had an ideal kite flying day.

The kite flying techniques were impeccable!And the concentration...admirable.
Poor Wyatt napped through the pictures,
but Mommy and Ryan were sufficient cheerleaders.

I Have Decided...

2008-10-29T08:21:00.006-04:00

There are few things in this life as pathetic as a sick baby.

Poor Ryan has been super congested this week, resulting in this lovely sight:

We've had plenty of these,a lot of this, and some of this.

The upside is that everything goes on hold for a plethora of these,

resulting in a few of these.

Blogiversary Giveaway!

2008-10-23T22:56:00.004-04:00

Today marks one year since the birth of Boone Bunch Blog. It's been fun scrolling through past posts today, but I wish I could scroll forward a year! :)

To express appreciation to my MULTITUDINOUS devoted readers :) I'm sponsoring a dream giveaway. The prize is yet to be determined, but will likely evolve from our recent closet/storage shed cleaning efforts. Perhaps a bag of mismatched flatware or a hat that says "Gun control means using both hands."

Leave a comment for a 1 entry. Compliment my mad poetry skills for 5 entries.

Ode to Blogging

Dear, dear Blogspot...My love for you will never wilt,

But grow ever taller than man on stilt.

(And it shan't falter, like Ace's bogus lilt.)

Thanks to you many a new friendship has been built,

and late-night boredom is forever kilt.

(Oh, the beans about my poetic talent have now been spilt.)

You make me feel like I've been wrapped in a quilt.

But why do I love thee most?

You alleviate scrapbook guilt!

Fruitland Park Gem...

2008-10-22T08:30:00.010-04:00

Perhaps it was the crisp Fall weather.

Perhaps it was the 2 adorable kids I had with me.

Perhaps it was the bright, marshmallow clouds on a vibrant blue sky.

Perhaps it was memories of our annual pumpkin patch/cemetary visits growing up, followed by a trip to the burger joint with pinball and the "Bryce Hatch Burger."

Whatever the reason, when we spontaneously stopped at this quaint, 1888 church yesterday I felt a little like I was in Heaven.

Some of the charm is the deliciously rustic paint.

There's a sweet cemetary out back the kids (and I) had fun exploring.

This old lych gate was added in 1889.

Wyatt tested its fortitude... Sturdy as ever!

I've passed this church many times on the way to or from the Russ home.

I'm glad I FINALLY stopped to smell the flowers. Hardy har har.

It is a gem. They call it "carpenter gothic."

I thought these pictures captured personalities well - Wyatt has stopped to laboriously study ants. And ponder the meaning of life. And Ryan is outta here!

On to the next adventure with mucho concentration. (And speed)

Separated at Birth...

2008-10-15T10:29:00.011-04:00

For years I've bought the same sunglasses every summer;

brown, plastic, tortoise shell rims that cost $8 at any gas station.

There is security in knowing if I lose them, drop them in a lake,

or leave them on top of the car before driving off they are easily replaced.

(I subscribe to the inexpensive jewelry theory for the same reason!)

So I was proud of myself when I broke the mold and bought

Elton John sunglasses this year.

Paris says I look like Willy Wonka from the new C and the CF.

This, of course, makes us like the glasses even more!

We have other celebrity look alikes in the family:

Paris and Olympic Gold Medalist Phil Dalhausser

Does this make the resemblance more clear?

Then there's Wyatt's haircut circa June 2008.

Paris says he looks like Corky from (cleanflicks) Waiting for Guffman.

I get his point. It wasn't my finest work.

But Corky is adorable, if out of vogue.

(Thanks to Mom for the pic.)

I struck gold when I found a great friend from high school/Clovis 3rd Ward on facebook. They're both beautiful, blue eyed, and bald.

I have no doubt Brittney Poulsen (Carman) will be world famous soon, if she isn't already.

Atticus was the hardest. No obvious celebrity look-alikes.
But with the 'stache it's hard not to call him Atticus PI.

Getting a Handle on Daddy...

2008-10-11T08:35:00.001-04:00

Friday nights often consist of walks and dancing at Lake Sumter Landing.
And puppies! Everywhere, puppies. Wyatt especially loves this.

Ryan has dicovered she needs no stroller for this event.

Daddy's more fun. And he has built in handles, like the passenger seat of a car!

(Check out his weird looking ears in the bottom pic.)

Other than ocassionally encountering a territorial, gerriatric line dance group

(true story) we always have great fun.

The Big Read

2008-10-04T20:20:00.002-04:00

Amanda posted this on her blog awhile back. I thought it was fun. There were a few I'd never heard of before, but I was pleased to note I'd read more than the average. I do believe Foxtrot en Masse is glaringly missing from the list, though, so I suppose I shouldn't be too smug.

Personal Note: After you read the list comment on what piece of literature you really do think is missing. I'm curious to see the responses.

The Big Read is a National Endowment for the Arts program designed to encourage community reading initiatives and of their top 100 books, they estimate the average adult has read only six.Here’s what you are supposed to do:

*Look at the list and:

Bold those we have read

Italicize those we intend to read

Underline the books we LOVE
Then share this list on your blog, too, if you like.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (Some, but not all)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (I've read much, but not all. And I certainly don't remember much. Ugh, my life's greatest challenge!)
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens (Loved the PBS and tried to check it out from the library. They didn't have it! I was shocked.)
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (Loved the first half!)
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel (Didn't know if I loved it or not immediately after reading it which, in hind sight, made me love it even more.)
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker (I think I'll read this for Halloween this year)
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Beep, beep, beep, beeeeeeeep...

2008-10-02T10:02:00.002-04:00

I was heating up

a mid-morning snack

when the microwave beeped.

Wyatt JUMPED up and

excitedly ran to the microwave

and announced,

"My pizza's timeout is over. Yay!"

This One's Dedicated to the One I Love...

2008-09-28T18:04:00.004-04:00

Oh, how I ADORE a good Sock Hop!

Maybe it's the Poodle Skirts.

Or the inevitable root beer floats. A & W...Ahhhh.

Or good lookin' dudes in white shirts and fast cars.

Friday night's combined activity in Belleview was super fun.

The only thing missing was my handsome hubby.

So this one goes out to you.

2,682 miles away.

We miss you.

Cowboy Up

2008-09-22T21:02:00.007-04:00

Wyatt came in the other day in this stylish ensemble.

Between Reagan's pink boots and Granddad's cowboy hat this boy is in hog heaven.

It reminded me of Atticus at about the same age running around in diapers and Granddad's cowboy gear. Time flies!

California Dreamin'

2008-09-10T19:49:00.012-04:00

I have to post a shoutout to Kathryn who, after a particularly stressful week, convinced me to go online and look for a ticket to California. Though I've seen family a lot in the last few years I haven't been home in over a year and a half.
So imagine my surprise when I found a ticket for a ridiculously low price leaving the NEXT morning. Paris said, "I got the boys...Go!" And so I did.
A highlight was our daytrip to my favorite place, YOSEMITE! Grandma, Kathryn, Finn, Ryan and I hit the road. We got out of the car and instantly smelled that mountain air. Intoxicating!

Grandma rode both kiddos on her bike since Kathryn's preggo and I'm, well, bicycle-y challenged.

Ryan loved the ride. Apparently her infant seat was comfortable...

After a good ride and little hike we had lunch at the historical Awhanee hotel. (Best $30 Philly Cheesesteak Panini I've ever had!)

And then, of course, games out back. Perfect

Back at Grandma and Grandpa's

One of the biggest incentives to go was to see my brother, know in blogspeak only as MMS,STR. (I prefer to call him MOB,STR since he is decidedly not "my midle son.") He and his beautiful daughter were in Clovis the first couple days we were there.

I spared MOB,STR the blogerazzi, but here's Naima picking fresh veggies for dinner.

I can't wait to see the Jack-O someone will carve out of this gravity-defying pumpkin!

Two words about your garden, Grandma: Fab U.

All was not fun and games out back, though...
I found Bertha the Burton had been baking in the Fresno sun for who-knows-how-long. Probably abandoned there in an isolated step in Mom and Dad's ongoing garage-cleaning project.

I thought of good times, dear friends, and my favorite sport of all time. I reluctantly accepted the fact that by the time I board again I'll likely need a new snowboard. R.I.P. Bertha.

This Trip's Obsessions

This trip included enthusiasm for "the program" (the Ryan women's personal betterment program,) making over Kathryn's space, and an honest attempt at watching Edith Wharton. (Huh? I don't get it.)

After dealing with such serious business we snacked on our new guilty pleasure:

Thanks to Kathryn for such a brilliant idea. Thanks to Paris for making it happen. Thanks to Travis and Brittany for dinner and a great visit. Mostly, thanks to Grandma for crying.

Relativity...

2008-08-27T08:39:00.000-04:00

While driving we responded to the classic question from the backseat:

About 5 more minutes.

Atticus: The slow 5 minutes or the long 5 minutes?

Us: What do you mean?

Atticus: You know how in time out it's the long 5 minutes?

Random Acts of Silliness...

2008-08-26T22:38:00.005-04:00

After dropping Atticus off to school I was walking through the garage and saw this:It made me think of some other fun pictures from the past few weeks.

Yippee...Ryan is finally almost 15 pounds!

(As verified by our favorite Winn Dixie greengrocer, Gene.)

I found this random shot on my camera. I thought Atticus did a pretty great job of capturing our obsessions simultaneously: Atticus's transformers, my keyboard, and Wyatt's 2 favorite books.

A few Saturdays ago Atticus did some accessorizing. He used boxers, briefs, AND boxer-briefs...So diplomatic.

Safety first for Ryan at Lowe's.

I'll take naked-vacuumer over naked-napper any day.

Mommy's Claim to Fame...

2008-08-24T22:17:00.001-04:00

Wyatt was browsing the Sunday advertisements when he saw this Brawny coupon:

He got so excited and kept breathlessly saying, "That's my mommy! That's my mommy!"

I do often wear capris with a wide cuff. And I do wipe up spills with my feet.

For the love of all things Olympic, need a generator!

2008-08-19T13:23:00.003-04:00

Can't eat. Can't sleep.

Mustn't read. Can't blog.

Can't use pronouns

Must watch Olympics.

My obsession is so intense, in fact, that as Tropical Fay approaches I am consumed by a single thought. Schools are closing and Publix is overrun by people stocking up on water and batteries just in case and I'm wondering, "If we lose power how will we watch the Olympics?"

Atticus's 1st Day of Kindergarten!

2008-08-18T23:23:00.000-04:00

Atticus Jonah Boone

8/18/2008

Wildwood Elementary School

Mrs. Strickland, a very patient woman, indeed. :)

After the first week Atticus let us know kindergarten's not too bad. Perhaps because thanks to Tropical Storm Fay, he only went 2 of 5 days.

Give Me a Ring...

2008-08-09T00:37:00.002-04:00

Alas, they're here.

China certainly did an awe-inspiring job. It was beautiful.

During the opening ceremonies Atticus noticed the Olympic symbol.

He informed us that it's made out of onion rings.

Citius, Altius, Fortius...

2008-08-04T22:08:00.010-04:00

All eyes were on Florida last night as "Family Olympics, 2008 - Wildwood" kicked off at Boone stadium. The opening events were simply the beginning of a 2-week celebration of culture and competition some call...the Summer Olympics.

The players: Atticus Jonah, Gabriel Wyatt, Ryan Sierra

The Officials: Daddy and Mommy

Atticus rocked the standing long jump with a whopping 52".
But it was Ryan who took the gold when height to jump ratio was considered.

Turns out white girls CAN jump!

Some groupies joined up part way through.

Reagan MacKenzie and Samantha Lee were tremendous assets to Team Boone.

The sprint was the favorite event of all five athletes.
The girls especially loved that the finish tape was hot pink.

NBC news crew scheduled to record the games were held up with flat tires.

Luckily we had out little digital camera.

(It reminds Paris of the old silent movies.)

The pole climbing event was harrowing.

And, of course, tree swinging.

Wyatt got perfect 10's.

The invasion of two monkeys into Olympic Stadium was something all in attendance are sure to remember for the rest of their lives.

We can only hope the Olympians in China have as good a time as we did.

(Doubtful.)

In the Tradition of Their Fathers...

2008-08-04T21:48:00.004-04:00

Paris is 6'4 1/2". (He likes it when I include the extra half.)

As such he has adopted a convenient way of turning the TV on.

It isn't quite as convenient when Wyatt does it.

To Swing or Not to Swing...

2008-08-02T19:52:00.005-04:00

After hours of enjoyment on Grandad's huge bag swing...

Wyatt and Atticus decided we needed a rope swing in our yard, too.

They picked a tree small enough for Atticus to climb...

And this result, seemingly pathetic in comparison, also provided hours of entertainment.

I love how he has to flex his feet hard so they don't hit

and how his little buns just miss the ground.

The First Supper...

2008-08-01T20:37:00.003-04:00

After showing absolutely NO interest in baby cereals we finally got Ryan's attention with butternut squash. We think the part where she sucks her thumb is particularly cute.

(She added that for Amy Widmann who is madly in love with her "perfect thumb sucking skills.")

No Whamies!

2008-07-30T23:46:00.000-04:00

Have I ever mentioned my human equivalent to a rabbit's foot key chain?

Ever since I married Paris I've won every raffle or random luck drawing I've entered (with the inconvenient exception of the HGTV dream house.) After 23 years of never winning Bingo or raffles this is quite fun.

It's conditional, though - I only win if he's with me. And only if he says, "Monkey Dust" in the way I find so endearing if it means I win a mountain bike from a local radio station in front of Walmart, but that I abhor when it's applied against me in Parcheesi.

And so it is with excitement, hope and a little Monkey Dust that I give you the link to Tricia's fantastic book blog. She's giving away a copy of a book called An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken.

I haven't read it, and I fear checking it out from the library could reverse the Monkey Dust. So here's the description:

"This is the happiest story in the world with the saddest ending," writes Elizabeth McCracken in her powerful, inspiring memoir. A prize-winning, successful novelist in her 30s, McCracken was happy to be an itinerant writer and self-proclaimed spinster.

But suddenly she fell in love, got married, and two years ago was living in a remote part of France, working on her novel, and waiting for the birth of her first child.

This book is about what happened next. In her ninth month of pregnancy, she learned that her baby boy had died. How do you deal with and recover from this kind of loss? Of course you don't--but you go on. And if you have ever experienced loss or love someone who has, the company of this remarkable book will help you go on.With humor and warmth and unfailing generosity, McCracken considers the nature of love and grief. She opens her heart and leaves all of ours the richer for it.

Wish me luck, and check back on my mom's birthday (Oct. 7th) to see if Paris comes through. Big money, no whamies!

Note to Mom and Kathryn...

2008-07-28T09:19:00.004-04:00

I just noticed a note on abc.com about... Returns Tue Oct 14th 10/9c

2008-07-23T10:32:00.002-04:00

Happy 5th Birthday Atticus Jonah Boone!

4 was a big year for you; Preschool, books, sister, Avatar, Superwhy, Transformers, etc.

May 5 bring as much joy as you have brought to our family (tall order) is our prayer.

In the Corner of My Mind...

2008-07-21T21:40:00.003-04:00

I thought this blog game looked fun. Please play, even if you don't post it on your blog.

Memory Game Rules...

1. Leave a comment on my blog of a memory that you and I have had together (it doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, just anything that you remember).

2. Re-post these instructions on your blog. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Thinking on Her Feet...

2008-07-20T16:18:00.006-04:00

Ryan is enchanted by her feet lately.

It might be these ADORABLE flip flops. (Just what is it about baby shoes that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside anyway?)

Or the fact that when I put her into her sling she folds up with her feet up to her chin.

Or maybe she's just bored.

Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. When we found ourselves at the water park with no pacifier she got resourceful. Look closely...that's her TOE she's gumming.

Southern Problem Solving...

2008-07-11T00:50:00.004-04:00

Atticus: Mom, can I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Me: I don't know, we're running low on bread.

Atticus: It could be an okra-faced sandwich.

Freedom, Family, Friends, and Fireworks...

2008-07-07T15:31:00.009-04:00

I love this time of year. There's something about freedom, family, friends and fireworks that makes the 4th the best!

We had a delightful cookout followed by fireworks. Most of us enjoyed the fireworks, but they were "Too noisy" for Wyatt. (Here Ryan and Cayd Russ sport the colors.)

We sang my favorite patriotic song yesterday in church, America the Beautiful. The third verse always touches me so:

Oh, beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!

I'm grateful to live in a country where we have agency to choose how and who we worship. I feel it's in keeping with Heavenly Father's plan, where agency is central. I'm grateful for the true heroes who have sacrificed for our freedom. I'm proud of my father and veteran ancestors from both Mom and Dad's sides of the family. I'm grateful for soldiers who now are fighting and for their families who let them go for the sake of others.

Plague, Pestilence, Flood and Famine...

2008-07-03T08:38:00.003-04:00

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. ~M. Kathleen Casey

I expected no food in the cupboards when we got home last night, after 4 weeks away in GA and house sitting.

I didn't expect the Florida bugs to send text messages out to everyone they knew to announce that the parents are out of town. (Especially since the house was sprayed con gusto before we left.)

Nor did I expect a limb to have busted a couple holes in the roof sometime during the crazy thunderstorms we've had the last couple days. There's a lot of sogginess, but nothing irreplaceable, thank goodness.

"Plague"is a bit of a stretch. But I am in the throws of an allergy attack paralleled only to my perennial attacks in the Central Valley from all the blooming farmland.

This post is to remind myself that I'm resilient. I'm going to "Whack Rats." (No, we don't have rats...It's from a book!) We'll take a Claritin, clean up the sogginess, light a fresh smelling candle, take a hot shower then hit the grocery store. Bad weeks come...And they go. We could certainly be faced with worse than we are right now.

Serendipity...

2008-06-29T20:07:00.002-04:00

One of the highlights of our trip to Helen was my date with Mom. We left the kids and drove through beautiful country on a choose-your-own-adventure pottery shop hunt. We never intended to stumble upon Serendipity Stained Glass Shop, my favorite.

The owners were a delightful retired couple from, of all places, Central Florida. They'd been vacationing in Helen years ago when they stumbled upon the shop. The husband was inspired to take up stained glass. So he did. (An engineering and math teacher by profession, the puzzle aspect of glass appealed to his precise and meticulous nature...Any wonder why I love it myself?)

Every year they visited Serendipity. Every year as they drove away they'd muse, "Someday we'll take over that place." And so, as I'm sure you've guessed, the summer after he retired they drove up to find a For Sale sign out front. The story includes many coincidental and fortuitous twists and turns, but I wouldn't do it justice.

I felt such joy for this couple, who chatted with each other day in and day out as he worked on glass and she ran the business. They finished each other's sentences and read each other's thoughts. They were in it for the fun, so when we came in they dropped everything and visited with us for an hour, like old friends. They were spending their twilight years doing something they enjoyed as a team. Sweet.

Perhaps one day Paris and I will buy the shop from them. I can picture it, I really can.

Shoot, maybe I'll call and make an offer tomorrow. :)

Cinderella Shoutout...

2008-06-25T22:27:00.002-04:00

I am so proud to be from Fresno right now.

After being seeded last in the NCAA World Series of Baseball the Bulldogs made it to the finals, in and of itself pretty amazing. Lost their first game. Down 5-0 in the second. Rebounded, then just beat Georgia (also Bulldogs) to take the title. Never been done in NCAA history...in any sport.

We Fresnans are resilliant! It's good to be reminded.

I Don't Even Want to Know...

2008-06-24T22:02:00.002-04:00

Driving with the kids:

Ryan: Aah-choo!

Wyatt: Beh-Doo (Bless You)

Pause

Wyatt: Eeeeeewwwww!

Lady (Me) and the Tramp - A.K.A. My Most Embarrassing Moment

2008-06-21T20:14:00.002-04:00

I blame it all on Mom. And Walt.

Ryan family vacations always include some sort of attempt at music. 8-part singalongs around the piano, Irish tin whistles and Bohr ans, ORFF in the 5th grade, a miniature accordion, or her newest addition to the Ryan family musical instruments - handbells. I'm about to geek out - Handbells are so fun! You have to be on your toes, and it involves teamwork and communication in a way traditional choral music doesn't.

This trip's theme was Disney. Mom orchestrated a medley of 5 or 6 songs played by only 4 people. (Quite a feat, actually.) When we got the kids down we'd bust out the handbells. (I'm not making this up.) One of the standout numbers was the extremely catchy "Siamese Twin Song" from Lady and the Tramp. It took a bit of rehearsing, and as the timing is tricky we got in the habit of singing along as we played. "We are si-a-me-ese if you plea-ese...Purrrrrrrrrrrr."

Fast forward to our trip to the Georgia Aquarium. We'd been on our feet for hours and had yet to eat lunch. I was holding Ryan while the boys checked out the on site playground. I was in that state of consciousness where you find yourself staring vacantly into space, awake, but not really seeing or processing anything. It was in that condition I was repeating The Siamese Twin Song in my head over and over again.

"We are Si-a-me-ese if you plea-ese," I sang in the safe confines of my exhausted mind.

Imagine my surprise when I followed this line by actually purring out loud. Imagine my further surprise when, because of my exhaustion the purr lost all of its cuteness and came across a bit...sensuous. Imagine my mortification when I realized the exact moment I purrrrrrrrrred intersected with the exact moment a scantily clad woman finally noticed I had been staring at her.

To this poor woman, who was clearly seeking attention although I doubt I was what she had in mind, a strange lady holding a baby stared at her and waited to make eye contact before purring, sensuously.

Panic.

The situation was far beyond explanation. All I could do was throw my head back laugh hysterically. I laughed so hard I started crying, which I'm sure did little to ease the woman's discomfort. She probably went home and made her blog private.

My Visit to Another World...

2008-06-21T08:34:00.003-04:00

I have had a few people question "spaceykasey."

No joke. This week it took until about 3:30 in the afternoon for me to realize that was, indeed, Wednesday and not Friday.

And that my shirt was on inside out. It was a button-up.

Georgia Aquarium...

2008-06-17T08:18:00.009-04:00

You can't imagine the joy our trip to the Georgia Aquarium brought. Especially for a woman who sincerely believed she would be a marine biologist until she was in high school. These photos don't begin to capture the majesty of the largest aquarium in the world.

Apparently the boys enjoyed it since they didn't look away from the exhibits long enough to get good pictures of their faces. I like the silhouette shots of the them dreaming of life under the sea better, anyway.

Atticus enchanted by the Beluga whales...3 of them!

You walk through an acrylic tunnel where whale sharks swim right over you, inches away.

The tunnel leads to the 2nd largest viewing window in the world; 23 feet tall, 61 feet wide, and 2 FEET THICK! The viewing room is so large they have mini stadium seating. I couldn't fit the whole thing with my camera lens.

Needless to say I was totally geeking out...How heavy is the acrylic window? How did they fuse the panels together? How did they transport it? How many pounds of pressure per square inch can it withstand? What would happen if it burst and 8.1 million gallons of water poured out? How could we evacuate the kids safely? And on and on.

The picture above perfectly captures the effect the place had on Atticus. With awe-induced schizophenia he was either stopped dead in his tracks or whirling off to the next exhibit.

I wondered how Wyatt would react. The only thing he didn't like was the 4-D theatre... Otherwise he adored it.

The penguins loved him. One kept coming over to him and "touching" him through the glass then running away. He and Wyatt played tag and laughed together for minutes. Other patrons even took pictures of the exchange. (My pictures are on Mom's camera.)

It occurs to me I rarely take pictures of the whole family together. I'm drafting a mental sticky note to start.

In my defense, I was pretty distracted.

Have Your Cheese Bread, and Eat it Too...

2008-06-15T23:05:00.000-04:00

How do you make a celebratory cake for someone who despises sweets?

This question plagues me each year as Paris's birthday approaches.

Mom has had a few clever ideas:

1. Our wedding cake had a tier made from a sourdough bread filled with Spinach dip and frosted with Whipped cream cheese.

2. Shortly after we were married she got a hot, rotisserie chicken. 23 candles in a hot chicken? It wasn't pretty, but it was thoughtful!

This year I finally figured it out.

We made 32 Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) balls.

They made a cute "cake" and offered the boys and I a thrill as we defied the laws of physics.
Best of all, Paris loved it. Happy birthday, sweetie. (Pun intended.)

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home...

2008-06-15T21:27:00.000-04:00

Yes, they've started a fan club.

Wyatt is President. He loves his Daddy above and beyond the call of duty. Today I was getting him off the trampoline and he saw Paris walking across the field toward us. Wyatt was so excited I scooped him up and started running toward Paris. Apparently I wasn't going fast enough because he wriggled out of my arms so he could run faster himself.

After 2 years of calling Paris Dah-dah, he woke up yesterday and called him Dah-Dee. This is a big step, and I think Paris loved it. His own personalized Father's Day gift!
And then there's Atticus - Thinks the sun rises an sets on Daddy. Perhaps because Paris tries to beat-box and says things like, "I got Mad Skillz." He filled this survey out for Paris in his Pre-K class.

One of the best things about Paris's sweet ride is that it doesn't have a muffler. Consequently, the boys can hear him coming from a mile away...literally. When the distinctive rattle of Daddy's car fades in the boys run outside and dance around in anticipation of DADDY! 60 seconds later he turns the corner. By then it's pure chaos.

Ryan isn't old enough to express it yet, but you can see it in her eyes. She's in love. She sits and stares at him with the sweeest grin.

I'm grateful for Paris, too. He's a devoted father in every way. And the beat-boxing cracks me up.

Happy Birthday, Paris

2008-06-14T11:38:00.008-04:00

Happy Happy Birthday, Baby

I had fun digging through old photos of Paris to chronicle 32 years of "Mad Skillz." I particularly like the white Miami Vice suit, the FSU muscle shirt, and the one with Peter Vidmar. Not to mention the skateboards and the MULLET - we were meant to be!

Had to include the Senior Prom picture because the story makes me laugh...Paris ate bad seafood and got woozy. He passed out exactly as the picture was taken. His 4'10" date tried to catch him. Needless to say, decorative columns and plastic plants were injured in the making of this portrait. The one here is actually the retake. I'd love to see the original!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful father, hunky-hunk, sweet husband, and good man.

Bonus: In honor of Father's Day I found some pictures of Paris at

the approximate ages of our 3 kids...

No mailman involved here.

Ryan's Daddy

Wyatt's Daddy

Atticus's Daddy

What I Did for My Summer Vacation; A Photo Essay...

2008-06-13T08:17:00.001-04:00

Way Down Yonder on the Chattahoochee. (I'm not kidding, Travis.)

Floating the river was a peaceful joyride, especially after Wyatt fell asleep. We even took Ryan down on our last day there.

We thought of Brittany as we worked on a puzzle similar to the mystery puzzle from Christmas. Dad and Paris even joined in, making it especially fun. And of course we had to do some chocolate research of our own!

We had bets going as to how many pieces would be missing. Paris won...11.

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Helenians are stingy with their water. You have to be persistent and pay a fee in restaurants. They blame it on the drought, not the rain.

(True story: heard that song on the radio yesterday. I was shocked.)

What would a Ryan Family vacation be without some additction. I alluded to the chocolate, but there was also Eli Stone and House of Elliot.

Here's where the river ran by our place. The rooms were tiny, but the grounds were immaculate. Absoluely beautiful!

Wyatt threw rocks in the river for hours.

Ryan's first dip in the pool. For Heaven's sake, we hope this girl will eventually tan! She basically glows. I had to buy a pair of sunglasses. She belongs with her cousins. (You know who you are.)

To Helen in a Hand Basket...

2008-06-12T13:17:00.001-04:00

All right, maybe not a hand basket. But with 5 people, car seats, and gear for a week's vacation it sort of felt like it at times. Not to disrespect the Civic.

I love our 2000 Civic. It reminds me of the early years. Knowing we'd never buy a brand new car again, we splurged after graduating and getting our first "real" jobs. We went all over California and across the country in this baby...Camping, weekend trips, visits to friends'. So fun!

I think she is beautiful.

I had a depressing aha moment on the trip. Like the bleach blond, chain-smoking, leather-skinned 39 year-old who still wears skimpy bikinis suddenly realizing she's past her prime, I realized the Civ is also past her prime. She's got 165,000 miles! She doesn't purr like a kitten anymore. (The air-conditioner, in particular, has been screeching more like a cat in heat lately.) And she could use automotive microderm abrasion. So sad.

Anyway, the ride to Helen went as well as could be expected. We did rearrange car seats part way through so the boys wouldn't be able to "bother" each other. The result: they continued to "bother" each other, but Ryan (seated between them) caught some of the fallout.

We visited Zoo Atlanta on the way. We had a blast! And the result? Heavenly...See picture left.

So after a week of fun with Grandma and Grandpa we were dreading the drive home. Neither boy slept the entire trip. And they were wonderful! They read books, sang songs, and just played quietly. Felt a little Twilight Zone-ish. But we weren't complaining.

We rewarded them with a pit stop in Tifton, Georgia where they each got 1/3 of a Wendy's frosty. Yes, I'm cheap. :)

My Complicated Relationship with Readin' Rita...

2008-06-09T14:50:00.001-04:00

We love the library. We enjoy picking out books, and the new Leesburg library is just too cool.

Atticus asks me regularly if we can go "rent" movies from the library. Compared with the $4 a pop fee at Blockbuster the answer is always a resounding YES!

Wyatt adores the puppet theater and bursts out of his shell. (When hiding safely behind the proscenium.) :)

Good Times are sure to be had at the Leesburg Public Library.

There is one thing, though...I inevitably frighten myself by forgetting that the bronze-cast statue on the bench in front of the library is, indeed, just a statue. This usually involves flinching wildly then walking quickly away while checking my blood pressure.

(A few weeks ago I stopped in one especially dark evening to pick up a book. Paris's car doesn't have a clicker, so I made an obnoxiously overt point of locking and checking the doors after noticing the shady character silhouetted on the bench. It was just the statue - not a mugger or carjacker.)

I decided to start calling her Readin' Rita - to establish a relationship of trust. Didn't work. She still startles me every time.

So you'll understand why today was an especially great library morning. Wyatt's puppet show was sheer genius, a book was waiting for me that I forgot I'd reserved, and I walked right past Readin' Rita without even flinching.

Field Trip and A Warning...

2008-06-08T18:31:00.002-04:00

Warning: We just got home from a vacation with Mom and Dad in GA.
Okay, so that, in and of itself isn't really a warning. The warning is that I have got pictures and pictures and stories and stories to tell. And I will.

You see, I thoroughly enjoy looking at pictures of random families' trips to The Grand Canyon or photos of the guy-next-to-me-on-the-plane's grand kids. So I have no filter or social skills in this regard. (And if you stick it out you just may hear a mortifyingly embarrassing story...And I don't embarrass easily.)

But first I must tell about a delightful Sunday in Florida. The Sumterville Branch (Population: 50) hopped a charter bus and visited the Belleview Ward (Population: More than 50.) We were warmly welcomed by the ward and inspired by the visit! The building is beautiful, and it wasn't that long ago that the Belleview Ward was tiny like we are. Hopeful.

I was most touched by a poignant and well prepared lesson in Relief Society about the importance of personal prayer. I'm grateful for prayer and I know I'm heard when I pray. Could there be a better gift from a loving Father in Heaven?

On the way home from church Atticus said, "So, let's go on a field trip next Sunday too, okay?" :)

Offerings...

2008-05-19T12:35:00.002-04:00

I have no delusions about who is the queen of our castle these days. Most mornings (since she was 4 days old) I find "offerings" neatly lining the bumper of Ryan's bassinet. The gifts are among the best of the best...The modern, Pre-K-Boys' equivalent of the Old Testament fatted calf.

Yesterday I found the selection especially adorable:
- A Dump Truck (Wyatt's favorite)

- TWO Transformers, including a particularly large one (Atticus's favorite)

- Weed flowers (which, I assume, they assumed was Ryan's favorite)

I don't know how old Ryan was when this one was taken, but you're never too young to appreciate reptiles, I suppose.

Of course, Ryan's quickly learning that where much is given, much is required. At the library, for instance, Wyatt thinks she makes an excellent cart for his books and DVD's. And when we pick Atticus up from school guess who carries his papers, sweatshirt, Transformer-of-the-day, etc to the car?

I don't think they've ever considered who carries Ryan to the car. :)

Times, They Aren't a Changing...

2008-05-18T19:39:00.003-04:00

I tried to Get-Crazy-With-the-Cheeze-Whiz and use a new layout for our blog. I was getting tired of "fried eggs," as Atticus refers to our old layout.

We found a lovely one with a butterfly. It looked too fall, but I loved the background. So we kept the background and tried new headers. We tried all sorts of things and decided on one of our favorite Van Goghs. It was rich and vivid and beautiful, and it reminded me of our screen saver we had as newlyweds.

But when push came to shove, I missed my fried eggs. After seeing it for so long it sort of became the SYMBOL of Boone Family blogging in my twisted mind. And so fried eggs it is...with a twist.

Why am I so reluctant to change?!

I Thought it was FREEZE Tag!

2008-05-16T00:00:00.004-04:00

My apologies to Melody, who tagged me weeks ago, and I'm finally responding. I'll make it quick because after this I'm going to start my '07 Christmas cards.

How did you meet your spouse? I went to his apartment begging for aluminum cans. (Not kidding...My roommates and I were in the throws of a semester-long art/apartment beautification project we creatively referred to as "the can wall.")

Where did you go on your first date? To dinner and a play with Jared and Connie Mecham. The play was a good move on his part. He appeared to be cultured even though he tried to impress me in the car by flawlessly singing "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

How long have you been together? 10 years, married 9

Who eats more? Sweets, me...Meats, him.

Who said I love you first? P-Dog

Who is taller? Obviously him. But he sometimes has me stand on a step then says, "Would you have fallen in love with me if I was this tall?" The answer is yes, of course, but he does look fantastically silly when taken off his pedestal.

Who sings better? Me, but Paris has major potential.

Who is smarter? Unimportant geeky stuff, me. Recall and practical stuff, HIM!

Who does the laundry? Me.

Who does the dishes? I usually do, but he does the silverware. (I abhor the silverware!)

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Depends. This has been a bone of contention at times, most notably when I'm pregnant. Paris sleeps closest to the door. Always. He says it's to protect me if someone comes in, but I've noticed he's always coincidentally closer to the bathroom. (An [really] inconvenient truth.)

Who pays the bills? Online BillPay. But he makes that happen, bless his heart.

Who mows the lawn? Wyatt

Who cooks dinner? I'm exercising my Constitutional right to remain silent.

Who drives when you are together? Paris

Who is more stubborn? We're both perfect angels. :)

Who is the first to admit when they’re wrong? Me, but he always means it when he says it.

Who kissed who first? Simultaneous

Who proposed? He did, outdoors, on December 26th after spilling a huge glass of ice water on me. I happily agreed through chattering teeth.

Who is more sensitive? We're both pretty logical. I hear he was super sensitive growing up, so I'd say him.

Who has more friends? Me, especially if we include BlogBuds.

Who has more siblings? You'd think this would be pretty straightforward, but Southerners make things so complicated - Technically he does; Biologically, I do; Spiritually, we all do.

Who wears the pants? He lets me think I do, but I'm pretty sure he does. Clever.

Now I tag Julie K, Mary from book club, and Cindy V
(I like putting the first letter of last names because then it looks like I have multitudes of friends named Julie or Cindy. Who's clever now?!)

Uggs? More like Ughs!

2008-05-13T18:38:00.004-04:00

Are these little pink Uggs the cutest, or what? Katelyn gave them to Ryan, and we love them.

I admit we had some technical difficulties at first, though. Try as I might I could not stuff Ryan's feet into them. I fought the boots for a few minutes. And she has narrow feet! I smugly thought, "Uggs? More like Ughs! What ROCKET SCIENTIST designed these shoes?"

Apparently you're supposed to take the tissue paper stuffed in the toes out before inserting baby feet. Details.

Mother's Day, 2008...

2008-05-11T21:21:00.001-04:00

I had a great Mother's Day. (I wish I could find my camera.)

First, I thought of my own mother. I don't know what I ever did to be blessed with Mom. She filled my thoughts all day. When we stumbled upon the song that's playing (The Heart Seeks Pleasure First) I teared up. I wondered how many hours I spent dancing around the family room while Mom played this song on the piano. I wonder how many hundreds of hours I spent dancing around while she played piano, period. I remember it as early as Sacramento, when I was Pre-K-aged and as late as high school. At times we'd sing together or she'd let me "help her play" or turn pages, but most often we each did our own thing, connected by Mom's music...Scott Joplin, classical, Church or pop/movie soundtracks. I love those memories. She's not your traditional mom in very many ways, but she is the perfect mom in every way.

Then I thought of my children. I don't know what I ever...Well, you get it. Atticus gave me a homemade pot with flowers and cards, and Wyatt helped me plant a hanging basket with lovely flowers. Paris made breakfast and Chicken Bryan (phenominally similar to Carrabba's) for dinner. Church went well, which I can't always say. It was a very nice day with lots of hugs, especially from Wyatt.

Then I thought of other mothers: Brittany, who delivered her first child on Mother's Day 2008; Karen, who wonderfully defies all Mother-In-Law jokes; Kelly, who I'm sure all would agree is SuperMom.

My favorite, though, was a questionaire Atticus filled out in his Pre-K class. He was asked questions about his mom. Among my favorite answers:

3. What is your Mom's favorite Movie?

-The one with the bomb that you pull the pin out of and throw and it goes BOOM! and all the people die.

(He knows me so well.) :)

4. What is your mom's favorite food?

- Anything

(Now he did get this one right.)

8. What does your mom do?

-She's the slinky queen!

(I sincerely hope his teachers assumed he was talking about the classic kids' toy and not my personal mannerisms.)

10.What makes your mom special?

- Because she loves me best.

(I especially liked this answer because I think each of the ideal mother's children believes that he/she is the favorite. I'm 1 for 3 so far!)

Welcome Schroeder Ryan...

2008-05-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

HAVE to show off our new nephew, Schroeder Wilson Ryan. Travis and Brittany will be such fantastic, fun parents. Congratulations to both them and Schroeder.

Born Mother's Day, 5/11/08
1 1/2 Weeks Overdue, poor Britt
7 lbs. 12 oz.

Taming Felix...

2008-05-10T16:15:00.003-04:00

Top 5 modern inventions that make a woman's domestic skills all she ever dreamed they would be:
- Swivel Sweeper. I often wish I could bear testimony about the truthfulness of the Swivel Sweeper...Want to kiss the inventor of the Swivel Sweeper long and meaningfully. Swivel Sweeper. It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it.

-Washing machines. Ours went out a couple weeks ago. Let's face it, it's not like I armed myself with a washboard and scrubbed our clothes by hand, but it was decidedly inconvenient to load them up and do them somewhere else.

- Kitchenaid. If I didn't have one, I'd give my arm for one. (Not my left...I'm not crazy or anything.)

- The Magic Eraser. Don't know how it works. Don't care how it works. It works.

- Serger. I know this is a luxury. A fantastic luxury! It's like having a maid when you sew. It quietly hums as it tidies up messy, fraying seams. And all it asks in return is an occasional drop or two of oil.

Top 5 Signs My Domestic Skills aren't all I ever dreamed they would be, despite the above-mentioned inventions:
- I plop onto the couch and say, "Whew! I'm pooped."
Atticus then says, "Oh good. Publix Subs or Pizza?"

- It's been long enough since I really scrubbed the bathrooms that Atticus (4 years old) notices. He then (not intending to be patronizing, I'm sure) says, "Mom, terrific job on the bathrooms! They look super. I'm proud of you. You must have worked very hard."

- After refusing snacks to Atticus because we're having dinner soon he asks, "What's Dad fixing?"

- I'm chronically doing "backwards laundry." Before I can use the basket to take clothes out of the dryer and fold/put them away I have to fold/put away the load that's been in the basket since my last laundry session. Twisted.

- I remind friends with crawlers to give me heads up before they visit so I can find the vaccuum. (Wouldn't want a sweet baby to choke on a chip from last week's nachos.)

Understand, I mention this with some pride; I believe I've made progress. I've always been a little obsessive about cleaning - inevitably the Felix Unger when rooming with someone in college. (Especially Kathryn, I love you.) When we were first married we'd get home from a long trip or a hard day at work and I'd start cleaning. Confused, Paris would helpfully say, "You're exhausted. Just relax." I'd reply,"I'll be able to in a couple minutes, dear. Hand me that carpet steamer, would you?"

Three pregnancies and 9 years with laid back Paris have taught me to relax my expectations a smidge. I'm channeling my Ch'i (or whatever) to try to enjoy the kids and individual moments of my day, regardless of whether or not the house is tidy.

(Not to mention I don't want to raise little OCD k-i-d-s. True Story: we were enjoying a family date at a restaraunt when Wyatt, Atticus and I simultaneously snapped to attention at a familiar sound. We knowingly made eye contact then whipped our heads around to find a waitress swivel sweeping under a table. The boys were beaming. Atticus said, "SHE has a Swivel Sweeper too?! How lucky!" I was concerned. Deeply concerned.)

I admit I falter. If I'm stressed or upset or just need a fix I grab the Swivel Sweeper and go to town. But I can stop anytime, really...

Thinkin' of Brother...

2008-05-05T13:51:00.006-04:00

I had 2 Travie moments in the last couple days which, in addition to anticipating the arrival of Schroeder, made this weekend pleasantly filled with thoughts of Travis-and-Brittany.

First, I was shocked when I ran across this VHS tape at the library. Travis is our generation's contribution to the Leber family line of "Hoofers." My grandfather, Ardy, reportedly waited out the depression in San Fransisco ruining his parents' hard wood floor, tapping endlessly in boots with nails driven into the toes and heels. Ardy never made Vaudeville. Travis, however, made him proud when he tapped to win a big talent contest in Clovis. No pressure, Schroeder.

Anyway, I was instantly reminded of the scent of The Underground and TWO trips to see Tap Dogs in London because one time through just wasn't enough.

Then while at Weeki Wachee this weekend I stumbled upon this little gem. Laughed so hard I felt like I was DOING the aerobics! What would we do without satellite TV? I'm thinking apple pie and quadratic equations with Travie on my junior year lunch hour.

Edward it is!

2008-05-01T13:44:00.007-04:00

Which Twilight novel character are you?

You're Edward Cullen - You have great taste for the finer things in life, a classic style, and you understand the way people work so you can manipulate easily. You have many talents and a bit of a temper, but you are mostly level-headed and rational.
Take this quiz!

I'm Edward. I think parts of this are spot on. But others? I wouldn't say I have a "classic" style; I think I'm a little more daring than that. I am logical, but not always level-headed. And Paris is the rational one in our family.

But then, I didn't really like the results so I was going to change answers and see if I liked that better. Manipultative! So Edward it is.

This reminds me that I've traditionally avoided personality tests because no matter which one I take I crave different results. (Is it possible to fail a personality test?) I vividly remember taking an animal-themed test in Paris's Marriage-Prep class when we were newlyweds. The night ended with us driving home, me in tears sobbing, "I don't WANT to be a lion." Not one of my finer moments. :)

Interestingly, I really like "red" friends. I just don't always want to be one. But then isn't the point of a personality test to discover your natural strengths and weaknesses so you can tame your weaknesses and consciously try to develop the strengths of other personality types? Ahhhhh...

Georgia on My Mind...

2008-04-30T14:42:00.005-04:00

I feel giddy. It has been scheduled. Much of the Ryan family, including Mom and Dad, is meeting in Georgia the first week in June. Since only Kelly and Kathryn have met Ryan (non-Skyping, that is) we are considering this family vacation Ryan's Coming-Out. Be prepared to gush.

I'm also finding myself excited to be in the mountains again. It feels like ages since we went on a hike, and the highest elevation I've seen in a long time was driving to Clermont for a baptism! Literally.

Hot Buttered Popcorn...

2008-04-29T16:23:00.002-04:00

Paris and I have often mused about how funny it is that our kids' diapers smell like buttered popcorn until they start table food.

I spent the better part of this afternoon fruitlessly tracking a messy Ryan diaper. I could smell it, I just couldn't find it!

Felt pretty silly when I remembered we had a cousin movie party earlier with - you guessed it - buttered popcorn. The real thing! Who'd have guessed?

Happy Anniversary!

2008-04-23T12:30:00.007-04:00

Today is our ninth wedding anniversary. Part of me can't believe it's been 9 years, but a bigger part of me can't believe it's only been 9 years. It just feels so natural to be married to Paris I feel like we've been together forever.

Last week I didn't feel old, even after celebrating my birthday. But today I kind of do after digging this picture out and taking a good look at it. (I think Paris looks particularly young here.)

A flood of wonderful memories attack me now as I look through old pictures. In honor of nine years, here are 9 memories from those early days...

1. Bike Riding groceries home from Macy's late at night
2. Williams Sonoma and THE PLATTER! Augh.
3. Proudly calculating the cost of our carefully prepared meals to the penny
4. "Plink" at the UVSC dance
5. Paris's unintentional-Mohawk
6. Racquetball and friendly competition
7. Cheese Curd from the Creamery (ANYTHING from the Creamery for that matter)
8. Rock Canyon Park/SFLC Elevator (Ha!)
9. The Dodge Shadow - R.I.P.

Paris, I love you. Since this is a semi-public site I'll save the gushy details for a letter just for you. But I do love you and appreciate you and your love through our ups and downs. You're the best.

What does Steve Martin say? 9 years and 3 kids later and we still got the heat? :)

Maturity...

2008-04-22T08:04:00.003-04:00

Snuggling Atticus last night...

Me (Teasingly): You are getting so grown up I might have to call you my little man from now on. You are way too grown up for your age!

Atticus: I know...Because I have a mustache. (Pause.) And pro-bly a uni-brow.

It's true. Both counts.

Monday, Monday...

2008-04-21T08:52:00.002-04:00

It occurs to me this morning that I like Mondays. There's something refreshing about cleaning up from the weekend and getting organized for the week ahead. In my school/career days I dreaded Mondays, but as a Mommy I like them. Go figure.

Forgiveness...

2008-04-19T21:12:00.002-04:00

This week I had the opportunity to reread a talk given by President Hinckley in the October, 2005 General Conference called Forgiveness. Brought back memories, some sweet and some shameful.

I remember sitting in the chapel in Orange Park and feeling so touched the first time I heard this that I wept. I was pregnant at the time. I figured that played a big part in the waterworks. As I read it again this week I felt the same emotion, particularly reading the story of the Turkey-Lady.

I have been blessed with a personality that doesn't become offended easily, but I do tend to hold onto grudges once I've developed them. I suppose I feel an allegiance to justice. (Like I have the right to decide what is just!) Example: Ryan Carter. Oh, the shame!

Point is, this talk speaks to me. Love it. I've changed a word in the closing remarks for emphasis:
"May God help me to be a little kinder, showing forth greater forbearance, to be more forgiving, more willing to walk the second mile, to reach down and lift up those who may have sinned but have brought forth the fruits of repentance, to lay aside old grudges and nurture them no more."

This is going to be my Biggie for 2009. I'm going to start working on it now, though, so I don't have to eat the whole elephant on January 1st. I think this will be even harder than 2008's Biggie has been to date.

Wyatt's Birthday, In Review...

2008-04-17T09:26:00.007-04:00

I haven't recorded Wyatt's fabulous birthday yet...

Last Friday we got up bright and early to take Nanny and Cindy-Lou-Too to what I can only describe as a doggy amusement park. It was Wyatt who was most amused, though. Cindy-Lou sat between Nanny's legs most of the morning while Wyatt ran around, collected tennis balls, met new dogs and even tried to mark his territory once. We didn't even have to pay an entry fee for him.

Then we went to the Carters to meet Tricia and her family. I must admit I was a little nervous...I've never had an "Internet meeting" before. Felt a little like a blind date. :) We had an absolute blast! Tricia was a joy to visit with and our families got along famously. We're just angry with them for insisting on living in NC...The nerve.

Wyatt was traumatized by wearing a life-jacket but eventually recovered. He oversaw the lake activities safely from the shore or perched above us on the dock, like a Birthday King.

The water was warm and clear. The sun was out. We feared we'd never pry Atticus from the 3-person tube. Bless the Carters for letting him ride around and around with other people rotating around him. He finally relinquished his spot after Pres. Carter tried to dump him. :) Then he, Carter, and Jonah had fun horrifying their parents by swimming progressively further from shore and looking for snakes.

Debbie even Ryan-sat so Paris and I could try out the tube. In a united effort not to get "dumped" Brianna, Paris, and I held stubbornly onto the tube. Eventually it ran out of air and we did, indeed, dump.

Then we tried skiing. I felt pretty hard-core when I got up, but the next day I felt hard-SORE when I woke up. Still, after at least 5 years it was great to water ski again. Paris didn't get up, but not for lack of trying. In a repeated and determined effort not to let go until he was up, he broke the rope. Batting eyes...My big, strapping husband is such a stud. But after busting both the tube and the rope we fear we'll never be invited anywhere again...Menaces to society.

The plan was to grab a bite and go to the Lake County Fair. The boys didn't make it. Exhausted, they fell instantly asleep and dreamed what we can only imagine were happy dreams about birthday cakes and lakes.

These reviewers give the entire day 5 enthusiastic thumbs up.

It is a Happy Birthday...

2008-04-16T13:02:00.002-04:00

Well, yesterday was a pretty rotten day...All in preparation for a conversely wonderful birthday so far.

It started last night, a few hours early. Rhea, Aimee, Linda, Katelyn, Alison, Paula and Hannah had a little get together for me. We visited, played Taboo and had gifts/ice-cream cake. Fun. Thanks guys.

I got home and snuggled Atticus. He gave me a huge hug and said, "I love you the most. Even all the way to the moon and back. Even Mars. You're the best." Sometimes mommies really need that. Then he added, "And don't worry...Daddy is going to wake me up in plenty of time to make the waffles."

Sure enough I was awakened to homemade waffles with - drumroll please - homemade blackberry syrup. I didn't know you could make syrup! Everyone knows syrup comes from the Publix Fairy. I was impressed. My little birdies gathered around me, mouths open, and I fed them and myself the most delicious breakfast ever. (There are a couple purple stains on my white bedspread to always remind me of that moment.)

Then Ryan woke up and gave us tons of smiles. Yay!
Happy baby = Happy Mommy = Happy Birthday

Kathi called bright and early. So thoughtful.

Atticus is taking me on a Mommy date this afternoon to get me a gift. Then Paris is taking me to my favorite casual dining spot - Panera Bread - for dinner, after which I get to choose what we do for the rest of the evening. No surprise that means we'll go to Barnes and Noble, melt into the most comfortable armchairs there, sip a smoothie, and rifle through books that aren't about tractors or puppy dogs. Heaven.

My last couple birthdays have been pretty laid back, so this has been super-fun. I must be the only woman my age who still loves my birthday. I'm pretty sure I'll never pad my age.

Feeling the Ryan-Pride...

2008-04-14T18:59:00.007-04:00

I've always been proud of my siblings. I guess that's an inevitable side-effect of being in a family...You assume yours is the best. I really am so proud of them.

Two examples from this month: Kathryn has started a super-cool cake business in Clovis.

Click the logo to go to her website or go to http://crumbs.weebly.com/

Travis is running for office at his graduate school. His campaign video...

How could you NOT vote for him?

So I've been thinking about how the kids in our family are willing to take risks and try new things. I give full credit to Mom and Dad, who not only always told us we could do anything we wanted to, but led by example.

I remember Mom would decide she wanted to do something new: make chore charts, choreograph a Ghostbuster dance for Mickey Cox Elementary talent show, buy 3 houses at the same time (out of PURE love, seriously,) coordinate an unofficial Christmas Tone Chime concert in Mercer Square, learn stained glass, make Kathryn's wedding cake and centerpieces, remodel the house, learn viola, take goofy photos of all us kids and all our buddies at Fulton Mall, travel cross-country in an RV that probably shouldn't have made the journey, the list could go on and on!

So she'd just do it. The results weren't always textbook - okay, they rarely were, but textbook is boring. And I think the best part about it is that it wasn't always successful. Sometimes business ideas failed. Sometimes a cake would weigh 400 pounds and be a little too dense to eat. Sometimes we'd be nearly thrown in jail (or out of hotels.)

But we always came back for more. And it never killed or ruined us. There's very little to lose in life SO JUST TRY NEW THINGS! And that's what I've learned. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Beep-Beep, Comin' Through...

2008-04-11T09:38:00.006-04:00

Happy birthday, Wyatt!

Here he is on the scooter Nana and Granddad got him. He thinks he's easily a cool as Olivia, the pig. Beep-Beep, Comin' Through!

Wyatt is 2...Can't believe it. I keep thinking of his birth. He beat Grandma to the hospital by 12 hours, but almost didn't make it himself.

He greeted the world with a pterodactyl-like scream. He continued like that, blue-faced, through the initial weighing/footprint jazz. He even managed to scream while he nursed the first time. Eventually the pediatric nurse drew him a warm bath and squeezed him into a tiny tub. Finally he was at peace. In his own little world with his ears submerged so the rest of the world sounded fuzzy. We laughed and laughed at that.

Then he was ostracised to the Boppy for Billy-Belt therapy. That took 10 days. Again, he was content to chill all by himself. Glowing. Literally.

So my favorite pictures of Wyatt are the the one in the tub and the ones in the Billy Belt. It reminds me of my independent little giant who doesn't need anyone else's opinion or company to be happy. And he was like that from the start. (See start of slide show for pics.)

Death of Ani-Music...

2008-04-07T18:25:00.006-04:00

Today our family mourns the loss of a dear friend...Our Ani-Music DVD. A gift to Atticus from Kathryn and Caleb a couple Christmases ago, Ani-Music has been watched hundreds of times in our home. It lived a good life and at last has cracked. It will surely be greeted by past video greats as it sheds this mortal coil.

While I'm being fairly tongue in cheek, Paris and I really are sad to see this go. Atticus adores music and percussion and it all started with this DVD. He would watch it for hours and play along with it. He memorized the music and timing and would go on lengthy scavenger hunts around the house to create elaborate "instruments" so he could accompany Ani-Music.

He listened to the CD at night when he went to bed. One night I went in to turn the radio off. I happened to look over at him immediately before a climactic crash of drums. He raised his pointer finger and pointed as the drum sounded, as if leading the percussionist who delivered the resounding blow...In his sleep.

I suppose we thought we would always have Ani-Music in our home. It is yet another reminder that kids grow too fast and life moves on.

Conference Aha Moments...

2008-04-07T08:54:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed General Conference this weekend. Here are a couple quick "Aha Moments."

- Salvation is an individual endeavor. Exaltation is a family endeavor.

- We should pray with the expectation to act, not just express.

I missed parts of some talks to walk a fussy Ryan or soothe booboos, so I look forward to reading them. (Many thanks to MaKynna, who was especially helpful Sunday morning.)

Like Mommy, Like Daughter...

2008-04-03T14:11:00.008-04:00

I love this. Here is a picture of Ryan on my baby blankie; circa 1976.

This is hers; circa 2008. :)

Not identical, but at least a nod to blankies past.

From the Mouths of Babes...

2008-04-02T14:25:00.003-04:00

As part of my calling at church I was able to teach the Junior Primary class on Sunday. The kids were pretty cute.

Exhibit A -

Me: To learn how to choose the right we should read our...

Bailey (6, a regular visitor): Bible and Book of Norman

Exhibit B -

Samantha (5) reciting the 3rd Article of Faith: "We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and (long pause) ornaments-es of the Gospel."

Exhibit C -

Me: Since Gordon B. Hinckley recently passed away, who is our prophet now?

Reagan (3): Thomas S. Johnson

They're all pretty darned close. And for their ages I think they're amazing.

It reminded me of a story that our Temple President's wife told in sacrament meeting in Leesburg a couple years ago. Paraphrased; her grandchild commented repreatedly on being glad to be in the winning church. Finally she inquired what the child meant. "You know, how we have a trophy on our temples."

A Blessing and Blessings...

2008-03-30T15:37:00.023-04:00

I feel absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude today. Paris blessed Ryan, but we felt the most blessed.

Ryan is beautiful. Her blessing was touching. She was blessed, among other things, that at a young age she would be able to understand Heavenly Father's plan for her. I was comforted, as her mother, to hear these words. Would that everyone could have such an assurance; that we each have a specific, personalized plan and that we could UNDERSTAND it!

I'm grateful for Paris, who is a loving father and super hubby. I don't brag about him enough, and I think this will possibly embarrass him so I'll keep it short. He's a gentle man with a big heart. He loves our family, and we love him.

There was quite a turnout. We're going to assume the entire group of stake visitors was there for Ryan's blessing. (Wink, wink.)

Participating in the blessing were L to R: Don Widmann, President Doug Carter, Granddad, Daddy, Uncle Sam and Rick Teets.

Side Note: It was thrilling to have such a full room in the Sumterville Branch. Now it's up to us to fill the room with people who actually live in the boundaries. :) We're up for the challenge.

Due to the large turnout our family of 5 squeezed into 3 chairs. This gave me an opportunity to really look at the kids all lined up. It's awe-inspiring how we can have equally perfect love for three totally different personalities. Ryan either slept, admired her admirers, or reminded us that she has an opinion - quite loudly. Atticus spent the hour quietly humming the Transformers theme song and flirting with anyone who would pay attention to him. Wyatt, on the other hand could care less about the crowd. He occasionally took a break from stringing beads to gaze up at Daddy or make sure Granddad was still on the stand. (Daddy's the hero lately. I have faith that the "Mommy=chopped liver" phase will pass soon. He's a little young for a lecture about 9 months, uphill both ways.)

Our family isn't perfect, but it's perfect for me. I have been blessed.

Welcome Brett Widmann!

2008-03-28T16:26:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to Amy and Bo Widmann, who had their sweet baby boy, Brett, yesterday.

(I stole a picture from Amanda's Blog.)

They're both healthy after a HARD labor and ineffective epidural.

For more info and pics link to Amanda and Bryan's blog to the right.

Isnt't he beautiful?

You Might Be a Redneck If...

2008-03-28T09:12:00.012-04:00

You go to the County Fair for the quilting exhibit,

but STAY for the DEMOLITION DERBY!

I was surprised by how much fun we had at the Sumter County Fair. The art and horticulture exhibits were interesting, and the boys loved the animals. Atticus won a prize at a dart throwing booth.

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better we stumbled upon the Demolition Derby.

Drivers rig up old junkers, barricade themselves into a small, muddy area, then play bumper cars to the finish. We had a blast!

I don't know what came over me. I suppose I should blame the part of my personality that gets addicted to reality TV, but I was enchanted. I LOVE THE DEMOLITION DERBY!

We stayed for over an hour.
We met all sorts of colorful new friends,

learned all sorts of colorful new words and phrases,

were thrilled to see a fire truck rush in and extinguish a car that caught on fire,
and enjoyed being as loud and raucous as we pleased.

I made friends with a very sweet 7-year-old boy sitting in front of us. He played with Atticus, was kind to Wyatt and drew us this souvenir on the back of a flyer for an upcoming wrestling match. (No, I am not making this up.)

Ryan slept through the entire thing.

Half-Full!

2008-03-27T00:21:00.005-04:00

After reading The Alchemist I have decided to explore how blessings sometimes appear in the form of trials. Case in point...

Tonight I was initially mortified when I discovered Atticus and Wyatt dumping full cups of filthy, country-boy bathwater onto the bathroom floor. As I sopped up the water with a clean towel I had a zen moment:

"I'm pretty sure this counts as mopping." Now I don't have to feel guilty about neglecting the floors for so long.

Maktub!

Top O' The Morning to You...

2008-03-25T12:31:00.011-04:00

This year we got instructions from Amy Widmann (AKA Kindergarten Teacher Extraordinaire) on how to make a quality Lepruchan trap! We think ours turned out pretty well.

We didn't catch the lucky little fellow, but we did manage to lure him to our place.

He left little footprints,

played some pranks, took a potty break,

then narrowly escapeded, leaving green tic tacs as a consolation gift.

We did manage to catch his little scarf.

We are quietly optomistic that next year's trap will yield success.

(Suggestions are welcome.)

Warning: Inside Joke...

2008-03-25T11:47:00.004-04:00

I was driving to Leesburg this morning when the song "Forever Young" by Rod Stewart came on the radio. I thought of Kathryn and starting laughing so hard (a full, rich belly laugh) I almost had to pull over. I miss my Sistahs.

So this one's dedicated to Annie Frye!

Mommy Shoutout...

2008-03-23T21:18:00.002-04:00

After 7 weeks Mom is finally feeling well enough to go back to work. Last they finally discovered it was extreme adrenal fatigue that has caused her to be ridiculously ill since shortly before Ryan was born.

She's on a good treatment plan and starts teaching again tomorrow. Good luck Mom! Heal quickly then come meet Ryan in person! :)

Cut the Lab Apron Strings, Mama...

2008-03-14T16:53:00.004-04:00

Recently we were at Bryan and Amanda's house, and Ryan was having tummy troubles. She was pretty pathetic. Amanda offered some gripewater, a natural colic remedy.

I looked at Ryan and all I could think was that theretofore she was still exclusively connected to me physically. Her entire body, every single atom, had been filtered through my body in utero or through nursing. I hesitated giving her the foreign gripewater molecules...Didn't want to contaminate the bond between us. I almost couldn't do it. But then I have to cut the apron strings eventually.

Isn't 4 weeks a little early for string cutting? :)

Then my mind wandered to periodic tables and biology classes past. It really is mesmerizing how a baby can grow so quickly in relation to her size exclusively from drinking breastmilk. I mean Ryan's gained about 30 percent of her birthweight in the last month. The equivalent would be my packing on 40 pounds in a month - From milk alone.

Post-Pardum Progress?

2008-03-12T10:50:00.004-04:00

I've been awfully proud of myself because I've been eating fairly well and exercising and I'm starting to feel results. Yay, right?

Well, Wyatt came up to me today while I was nursing Ryan and became hysterically fascinated with my spare tire. He would do the Pillsbury Dough Boy thing to my belly and when his finger completely disappeared in the fat roll he would BURST out into a full belly laugh. This kept him in stitches (and me in near-tears) for at least 5 minutes.

He hasn't seemed too interested in talking, but when he does I swear he has articulation dyslexia. Up is "Pu." Down is "Now." Etc, etc.

Then yesterday I asked him where my toothbrush was and he said "Ount Know." The tone reminded me of a teenager, as if to say, "How should I know where you put your toothbrush? Am I your toothbrush's keeper?"

I can't imagine our home without our little man in a pint-sized body. He's independent and has had a grown up sense of humor since he was about 8 months old. He just cracks us up!

Dude, Where's My Carseat?

2008-03-08T10:27:00.003-05:00

I tried to get some "sweet baby" shots of Ryan, but they all came out like bad scenes from movies.

She looks like a slacker from Dude, Where's My car?
Remember Cliffhanger? Or the Rock Climbing scene from MI2?
You talkin' to me?

Or maybe Jaba the Hut.

Better luck next time.

You've Heard of the Naked Chef?

2008-03-05T15:40:00.010-05:00

FoodNetwork and Oprah may have The Naked Chef, but we have THE NAKED NAPPER!

For a couple weeks we've been greeted by this sight at naptime. Paris assumes Wyatt's ready for potty-training. I'm not ready to jump on that bandwagon.

And before I get any grief I realize the consequences for posting this photo may be, but are not limited to:

a. Indictment for child pornography
b. A mortified Wyatt when he gets a little older

Totally worth it.

4-Year-Old's Trial of Faith...

2008-02-28T20:10:00.003-05:00

Excerpt from tonight's family prayer, offered by Atticus:

"...And please bless me that I'll get my new pets well. Even all 5 hamsters. And my new little foal. And a dog; make it a great dog. And my cornsnake."

Pause.

"And help my hamsters to know the word of wisdom. In the name of..."

(I couldn't figure that last part out until I remembered a book we checked out from the library. It teaches that hamsters eat grains, fruits and vegetables.)

I hope it's not too great a trial of faith for him when we don't get any of the above-mentioned pets. Paris asked recently if we ought to get a dog. I've decided I love to chase, clean up after and potty-train humans. My energy ends there.