Saturday we made the cake, Dave’s birthday cake for her dinner. Anna and Saerome came over and helped with the hair. With all three of us working, I think we really came out with something pretty.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Preference
Cambry asked Chris Brousseau to Preference this year. Brittney asked Scott, Sabrina asked Tyson, and Amy asked Tom. For the first time, Cambry bought her dress. We shopped over the MLK holiday break and she fell in love with this dress. Her YW leader who has so generously fixed her hair other dances just had a baby and is not working. Cambry’s hair is like mine in that it won’t hold a heated curl, but curlers set in to the hair to while it dries stays until the next wash. So we looked on YouTube for hair ideas and they all start with rollers. I put her hair in curlers late Friday night.
Saturday we made the cake, Dave’s birthday cake for her dinner. Anna and Saerome came over and helped with the hair. With all three of us working, I think we really came out with something pretty.
Saturday we made the cake, Dave’s birthday cake for her dinner. Anna and Saerome came over and helped with the hair. With all three of us working, I think we really came out with something pretty.
Tethered by fear
Dave and I couldn’t get off on our date until late Friday night as Josie wouldn’t settle down and I don’t like leaving before she’s out. We wound up down in the river bottoms as the weather was fair (like 53° at 10:00). We enjoyed the ambiance for a tour around and went in to look at the Provo Beach Resort. While we were looking at the pine wood derby set up and noticed people hanging on ropes above us.
I have never completed a ropes course. We had to sign a paper saying we realized we could be injured or die if we participated, but other than that enjoy yourself. We watched others while we waited our turn. It was very safe with a harness which ran in tracks above the runs. There were some folks who held on to their harness strap for dear life and others who let it drag along behind them without concern. Dave kind of challenged me to be like the latter. But it took only a step or two onto my first run to look at him and say, “Oh, I’m holding on to my harness, I’m totally ok with holding on!” Here we were on precarious balances 30 feet in the air with folks beneath and around us. As you got out to the middle of the challenges, they would bounce and sway and it was frightening.
By the time we were ready to move down to the lower level, my hand ached from hanging on so tight. And then all of the sudden, the anxiety eased. My balance improved, my enjoyment of the course increased, and my movements became more effective. I realized that nothing material had changed, the course challenges and safety precautions were exactly the same, but I was no longer tethered by fear. I wouldn’t say I was proficient, but I was enjoying the process much more.
I have never completed a ropes course. We had to sign a paper saying we realized we could be injured or die if we participated, but other than that enjoy yourself. We watched others while we waited our turn. It was very safe with a harness which ran in tracks above the runs. There were some folks who held on to their harness strap for dear life and others who let it drag along behind them without concern. Dave kind of challenged me to be like the latter. But it took only a step or two onto my first run to look at him and say, “Oh, I’m holding on to my harness, I’m totally ok with holding on!” Here we were on precarious balances 30 feet in the air with folks beneath and around us. As you got out to the middle of the challenges, they would bounce and sway and it was frightening.
By the time we were ready to move down to the lower level, my hand ached from hanging on so tight. And then all of the sudden, the anxiety eased. My balance improved, my enjoyment of the course increased, and my movements became more effective. I realized that nothing material had changed, the course challenges and safety precautions were exactly the same, but I was no longer tethered by fear. I wouldn’t say I was proficient, but I was enjoying the process much more.
No sleep
All's fair in love and family. Josies slept two nights in a row and not since. Dave was up several times the second night she slept, so I didn't sleep well. And with all the activities around Preference, restful sleep is a distant memory again. Sigh.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
SLEEP!
Josie slept through the night last night! Every other time she's slept through the night, she has been coming down with an illness, but she's just getting over a virus, so maybe??? The best part is that I was in bed by 10:30. I woke on my own at 6:15, almost like a memory of distant days which will come again.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Dave is 43
I love him.
My day started after substantially less interrupted sleep than I desired. After feeding Josie Again! at 5:15, I went down to start the breakfast. I learned that the swedish pancakes only take me 30 minutes to cook, though it always seems like it takes longer. I made a note in the recipe to help me feel less intimidated. Breakfast was delicious.
I immediately moved to the cake so it would have time to blend flavors. I doctored up the mix with additional sour cream, egg, flour, baking powder, and cocoa. It smelled dark and bitter. I prepared the mousse filling and spread it on the bottom layer. I set the cake dome on the front porch to let the mousse set while I showered. After my shower, I put the top layer and frosted it with the bitter chocolate whipped cream. The dome smashed the top of the cake when I set it on to put it outside to keep it cold.
After a quick visit with Saerome, who seeing the cake on the porch secretly yearned for an invitation to the cake party, I went to lunch with Dave, Gus, and Chris. Dave wanted a good burger so we tried Burger Supreme down in Provo. Josie started fussing at the restaurant.
I thought I could steal a nap in the hour between lunch and when the kids got home, but Josie would have none of it. She was tired and hungry all afternoon, but she would only take my milk when she was desperately hungry. Orange Julius!
Saerome picked Parker up for taekwondo class for me. What a relief. And he’s going again!!!!
Dinner went together reasonably well since I had prepared some portions ahead of time and started early enough in the afternoon to allow for Josie’s demands, though I did get a little stressed and short momentarily. Elise and Aleah helped me assemble the enchiladas and did a really good job.
Cambry and Riley had to leave for pep band before dinner and were bemoaning the pizza they would eat with their bandmates while their family dined in authentic Mexican.
After dinner, Aleah called Wes and Anna and asked them to bring Saerome and Aston for cake – a wish granted. The kids played and the adults visited. I bathed Josie and read from Moon over Manifest once she was down. Our company left while I was upstairs reading. I decided to massage my feet after a long day at 9:24. Just as I was sitting down, I remembered I hadn’t given Dave his presents. I bought them weeks ago and was so excited to give them to him, I even predicted he may even get them wrapped this year. But it was not to be. Josie’s bath towel did the honors as I brought out the brick oven for his sourdough and the sourdough crock one at a time. He was genuinely pleased with his gifts as I knew he would be. There is dough fermenting on my counter this morning as he is ready to put them to immediate use.
Cambry introduced us to William Joseph on YouTube and shared little vignettes she’s picked up in the mini concert he performed for their choir class. We gathered around and had concert of our own. It was a fun day and a wonderful night!
My day started after substantially less interrupted sleep than I desired. After feeding Josie Again! at 5:15, I went down to start the breakfast. I learned that the swedish pancakes only take me 30 minutes to cook, though it always seems like it takes longer. I made a note in the recipe to help me feel less intimidated. Breakfast was delicious.
I immediately moved to the cake so it would have time to blend flavors. I doctored up the mix with additional sour cream, egg, flour, baking powder, and cocoa. It smelled dark and bitter. I prepared the mousse filling and spread it on the bottom layer. I set the cake dome on the front porch to let the mousse set while I showered. After my shower, I put the top layer and frosted it with the bitter chocolate whipped cream. The dome smashed the top of the cake when I set it on to put it outside to keep it cold.
After a quick visit with Saerome, who seeing the cake on the porch secretly yearned for an invitation to the cake party, I went to lunch with Dave, Gus, and Chris. Dave wanted a good burger so we tried Burger Supreme down in Provo. Josie started fussing at the restaurant.
I thought I could steal a nap in the hour between lunch and when the kids got home, but Josie would have none of it. She was tired and hungry all afternoon, but she would only take my milk when she was desperately hungry. Orange Julius!
Saerome picked Parker up for taekwondo class for me. What a relief. And he’s going again!!!!
Dinner went together reasonably well since I had prepared some portions ahead of time and started early enough in the afternoon to allow for Josie’s demands, though I did get a little stressed and short momentarily. Elise and Aleah helped me assemble the enchiladas and did a really good job.
Cambry and Riley had to leave for pep band before dinner and were bemoaning the pizza they would eat with their bandmates while their family dined in authentic Mexican.
After dinner, Aleah called Wes and Anna and asked them to bring Saerome and Aston for cake – a wish granted. The kids played and the adults visited. I bathed Josie and read from Moon over Manifest once she was down. Our company left while I was upstairs reading. I decided to massage my feet after a long day at 9:24. Just as I was sitting down, I remembered I hadn’t given Dave his presents. I bought them weeks ago and was so excited to give them to him, I even predicted he may even get them wrapped this year. But it was not to be. Josie’s bath towel did the honors as I brought out the brick oven for his sourdough and the sourdough crock one at a time. He was genuinely pleased with his gifts as I knew he would be. There is dough fermenting on my counter this morning as he is ready to put them to immediate use.
Cambry introduced us to William Joseph on YouTube and shared little vignettes she’s picked up in the mini concert he performed for their choir class. We gathered around and had concert of our own. It was a fun day and a wonderful night!
Worthy music
Cambry came home from school yesterday and said choir was the best ever. She never says that. They had a mini concert by William Joseph and his celloist and violinist. He donated the final $5,000 they needed to restore their Steinway grand. I'm not sure what connection he has with the school, but I'm grateful Cambry introduced us to his music. She and Riley had to attend pepband for the basketball game (the required performance dates include Dave's birthday, Cambry's birthday, Valentine's Day, and Elise's birthday). When they got home as things were winding down and Dave and Parker were watching things on YouTube, Cambry took them to William Joseph's links. Minus the little girls who were in bed, we crowded around my laptop listening in amazement to song after song. This song is my favorite, but they all touch me. What a worthy composer and performer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QFirdETv_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QFirdETv_U
Josie times
By 10:30 this morning Josie was in her third set of clothes for the day. She had wet through when she first woke and she pooped out, interuppting her morning nap. She was very distressed most of the afternoon yesterday as I was trying to get enchiladas and fixings on for Dave's birthday. She wouldn't nap and didn't want to nurse or eat and wanted to be held. I got a little stressed around 5:00. About 9:00 last night I finally understood the problem. I enjoyed the orange julius which accompanied Swedish Pancakes with berries for breakfast. Josie does NOT like it when I eat acidic foods like oranges, pineapple, and tomatoes. Her diaper this morning confirmed it.
She is efficiently crawling as of this morning. She made it from the loveseat over the to far corner of the sofa in a matter of seconds. She finger vaccums the floor for me and finds the most interesting stuff. She pulls herselft to standing long enough to swipe things from the living room coffee table. So begins the stage of chronic intervention. Should be fun.
She is efficiently crawling as of this morning. She made it from the loveseat over the to far corner of the sofa in a matter of seconds. She finger vaccums the floor for me and finds the most interesting stuff. She pulls herselft to standing long enough to swipe things from the living room coffee table. So begins the stage of chronic intervention. Should be fun.
Bet your mouth drops open when you read this!
Last night we invited Mom and Dad and Saerome and Aston to sing happy birthday to Dave and eat cake with us. Earlier in the afternoon, Parker had gone with Aston to taekwondo where he has agreed to help with Aston’s class. Aston came to the party in his uniform and Parker was still in his, so Parker dressed the girls up in spare uniforms and played “taekwondo class.” Aston called to me while the girls were getting ready for bed, “Aunt Lee-ah-Dell?, Parker has gone to sleep and whatever I do, he won’t wake up.” I gave him the best advice I could think up in the moment, standing where I knew Parker could hear me: “Aston, the best way to wake Parker is probably to pick your nose and wipe the boogers on him.”
An impish expression washed Aston’s face as he left me with his right index finger engaging for the hunt. The king booger stretched from Parker’s wrist to his elbow, but Aston was able to plant them on Parkers hand, face, and even foot. Parker revived!
BTW the cake was amazing!!! Saerome might have just tasted the fruit of the tree of life, she felt sorry for everyone in the world who had not tasted that cake and insists it belongs in a recipe contest. It was a bitter chocolate cake, filled with vanilla mousse, frosted with a bitter chocolate whip cream, drizzled with ganache. Yeah, it was THAT good. Dad said, “I shouldn’t have eaten that second piece, but I sure do want a third.”
An impish expression washed Aston’s face as he left me with his right index finger engaging for the hunt. The king booger stretched from Parker’s wrist to his elbow, but Aston was able to plant them on Parkers hand, face, and even foot. Parker revived!
BTW the cake was amazing!!! Saerome might have just tasted the fruit of the tree of life, she felt sorry for everyone in the world who had not tasted that cake and insists it belongs in a recipe contest. It was a bitter chocolate cake, filled with vanilla mousse, frosted with a bitter chocolate whip cream, drizzled with ganache. Yeah, it was THAT good. Dad said, “I shouldn’t have eaten that second piece, but I sure do want a third.”
Now was it the boogers or the cake that made your jaw drop?