Stop that incessant drumming, already.

Ok, so is it just me, or has this holiday brought more than its fair share of drumming? What I mean is that every single time I turn on the Christmas station I am inevitably met with that horrible 1960's version of "The Little Drummer Boy". The one with warbling women's voices and underlying rat-a-tat-tats. I can't remember a Christmas when I've heard this song so much! The other day I changed from station to station and each of them was playing one version or another of the song. Oi with the poodles already!

Did they even have drums back then? I don't recall the middle east being known for their percussion- they strike me as more of a finger symbol or rainstick region. And at such a spiritual event a drum is definitely not the most reverent of instruments, I don't care how many ruh-puh-pum-pums come with it.

Its my own personal "Groundhog Day," only I feel pretty certain I'm not going to have the whole change of heart and end up embracing the Drummer Boy. More likely, I'd poke a hole in his little drum.

Beat that.


After that little rampage I think I'd better leave the Neil Diamond topic to another day.

Shake it!

I just dropped Ryan off at school and on the way back I turned on some Christmas music.

Lately I've been encouraging Reese to embrace her inner dancer- we go crazy in the front room, while we eat, and in the car. Little by little she's getting more involved- she's lately started a marching-in-place-while-punching-at-the-sky move. It's incredibly cute. Anyway, the more she sees me dance, the more she gets into it, so on our drive home I look in my rearview to see her shakin' it and of course I join in because I'm a mom. :)

In my peripheral I see someone in the car ahead copying my move.

'That's weird,' I think. It was still a little dark, but I could see at least five little high-schooler faces staring straight at me. They're craning their necks to see what's going on, so I go ahead and give them the performance one more time.

It must have looked pretty funny if you couldn't see the carseat in the back of the car, or if you could, the thought, "Why is there a reindeer in the backseat?" had to be boggling a few minds (pajamas, complete with antlers). At any rate, its just a good thing that getting embarrassed only happens if you care!

The Great Bearded Horror from the North

Its finally SNOWING!!! Yeah! Ry keeps telling me that this is normal, that snow doesn't usually come until December, but I'm an Idaho girl, and I'm used to trecking through the snow to go trick-or-treating. Needless to say, there has been something amiss in this holiday season, but now it feels like Christmas. :)

I have been especially crafty this Christmas Season, and i have to say that I am extremely proud of the stockings that I made a few weeks ago- reminiscent of my childhood stockings. Aren't they so cute?! Whoever invented iron-on . . . stuff was amazing.

Now for the topic that inspired today's title: Santa Claus. Who knew that the cheery bowl full of jelly, the man who brings gifts and good cheer to the entire world in just one night could extract such blood-curdling screams from children too young to know their own name?

Welcome to our Ward Christmas party. It was last Friday night- a wonderful pajama tradition filled with french toast (with a delicious coconut syrup this year), scrambled eggs, service projects, and of course, the annual appearance of the Main Man himself.

I've seen this several times. All the parents line up with their sometimes eager, sometimes whimpering children, all waiting to sit on Santa's lap. But I had never before in my life seen what we all saw on Friday.

It all started with Kris Kringle's entrance. . .and the horrific screams of one little boy. He tore across the gym in panic, and everything went downhill from there. One by one every kid in the room was placed on his lap, and every single one burst into tears! It was unreal- little girls' bodies shook with dramatic sobs, little boys skid across the gym floor as moms pushed them toward the fireside, the happiest, rolly-polliest babies in the world were reduced to wailing and tears! Three months or three years old, it didn't matter, the jolly fat man spread nothing but christmas fear.

And, of course, we couldn't help laughing our guts out. In fact, I think that more were gathered to watch this show than sung Christmas Carols.

Reese however, was the only one who didn't cry. (no pride there at all) She just looked at Santa like, "I don't trust you." He handed her a little christmas book and she deigned to give him a half smile. Unfortunately the friendship didn't last; St. Nick took her hand to shake without asking, "No? No?!" Reese told him as they shook hands, and pulled her hand away. She scrunched up her face and glared.

Oh well, maybe next year she'll look forward to the visit. But somehow, I don't think that Brother Smith will volunteer for the job again. Poor guy! That's gotta do something to you to have all those little kids take one look at you and lose it like that.

Catch-up time!

Hello all!

I haven't really written much lately so I feel like there's about a million things bouncing around in my head. I think I'll take on Thanksgiving first. :)

Oh the Joys of Travelling!

We spent Thanksgiving with Ry's parents out in Willard Missouri and had a great time. Poor Ryan and his siblings decided to drive the 20-ish hours out there to save $. I think that at one point or another as they anticipated the trip back I heard all of them say something about checking plane tickets to see if there 'just happened to be a last-minute killer deal'. Luckily they made it there and back without any problems other than the usual leg cramps and get-me-out-of-this-car-or-I'm-going-to-kill-someone fever.

Reese and I flew, and while the time was considerably shorter (which I am ever-so-thankful for!), it was filled with its own sorts of challenges. It was Reese's first flight, and my first with a baby so. . .oi! Luckily she'd incredibly adorable (as many will vouch) so we made it through security in record time (you'd think I'd trained her to bat those baby blues at all the uniformed guys on cue!), had help onto the plane, and made it through 2 hours of her confined to my lap.

Bless the couple behind us who made faces for about an hour,

and the poor bald man who's head was poked repeatedly,

and the girl eating the Rice Krispie Treat who suffered brutal glares after she refused to share,

and the very posh LA marketing consultant sitting next to me who tried to read her book, but

was interrupted every five seconds by Reese popping her head in front of it saying, "Hi!"

and. . . well, you get the idea.

The Great Feast

So, as always when we get together with family, even though we made sure to pack the camara we totally forgot to take pictures with everyone. Oh well! At least I got a picture of Kathy's turkey- it was beautiful!

I was astonished when she told me that she just sprays the inside of a paper grocery bag, pops the turkey in, and bakes it 10 min per pound. It was one of the prettiest turkeys I'd ever seen- such great color, tasted oh-so-yummy, and hello utilization!


It was quite the spread, and dessert was 6 or so pies. We won't talk about the pumpkin pies ;), but they turned into wonderful milkshakes!


The rest of the trip was a very nice R&R. Ry and I have been running non-stop for the last few weeks as most of his important projects and papers have hit, and the bakery went into overdrive for Thanksgiving, so I don't even know how many naps we took, but they were wonderful- and with a house full of anxious babysitters, how could we not?

We made the traditional stops at Lamberts, Andes Frozen Custard, and Bass Pro- here are a few pics of us in front of the bear, watching the fish and the ducks, and Reese finding a just-her-size tent in the camping section. Also our Daddy's girl sampling the Key Lime Custard.

Ande's- Frozen custard heaven

Definitely our kid- she loved the camping section. I think she pulled something off every aisle.

Reese and I watching the ducks and the fish.

She kept doing her 'bath' sign, but unfortunately we didn't strip her down and let her jump in with them. Parents are no fun.

Reesey with Daddy and Uncle Josh at Bass Pro

Like I said, it was a great trip and I'm so glad we went. Ry also got to take a look at Lincoln (for those of you who don't know we're thinking about doing a Masters degree at University of Nebraska Lincoln), and he took several videos as they drove through so I got a chance to see it too. It seemed like a very nice town.

For lack of time to keep going I'll wrap up and hopefully come back with a few of the other funny details as well as Christmas cheer for all!

Apparently this is the list of must-do's before you die. Like my sister Meg- the one I copied it from- I was pleasantly surprised at all the things that I've already done, and got super excited for all the others that I still want to do. So copy, paste, and bold 'em baby!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band. . .(Allie's beginning band- pre-Brutally Rebuffed for those of you who know it)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland. . .(Just this last summer and I LOVED it!)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris. . .(a year and a half wasn't enough)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. . .(I'm a furniture upholsteress now :)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning. . . (Oi with the mussels already!)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (Yes, I still have the pictures. :)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing. . .(Love it!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. . .(sigh.)
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain. . .(a little cold, and not as pleasant as it seems in the movies)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie. . .("The Penny")
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book. . . (does a short story count?)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous. . . (Does Donny Osmond count?)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Fallen in love. . .(with the man of my dreams. Cheesey, yes. But entirely true. :)

Exactly when do you start potty training?

So, I'm sitting here smelling a very yucky diaper and thinking to myself, since Reese is so opposed to having her diaper changed, and both Ryan and I are feeling less-than-thrilled to be changing these diapers, why the heck not buy a little potty and get the whole shibang started?

Maybe we'll get brave. Who knows?

Alright, who pulled all the wipes out of the package?

Yet another week of whirlwind here at Badger headquarters. Ry has been so busy with school and doing so well. I'm super proud of him. A few days ago he called me to say that he got a paper back from his Native American class and proudly announced that he had received 100% on it. Who knew scores like that were even possible in history?! Most of his classes have been pretty tough despite his talent and hard work, so it was a very pleasant surprise and good confidence boost for him. Yay Ry!

It's been awesome to see things falling more and more into place as Ry has gotten further along in his major, and also to see him excell as he's sharpened his focus with his minor. I just love that feeling that the Lord is behind you and opening doors as you follow His promptings.

While I'm talking about my absolute favorite person, I just have to make a quick tribute. It is my opinion that every wife falls head-over-heels for a man who cleans. Oh yes, its true. I heard someone say that before I got married and I remember thinking, "Hmm. . .that's slightly pathetic. I'm not sure how that could ever be a turn-on."

However, time and experience have made a complete and total believer out of me.

Like I mentioned before, its been a busy week- work has been hectic as the bakery prepares for Thanksgiving (yikes!), and I went to work Saturday morning around 4am. When I got home Ryan had cleaned the entire house top to bottom-- which should count as one of Hercules' labors when you consider that we haven't seen the floor in our bedroom for weeks now, and everyday our little Tasmanian Devil wreaks havoc in every room in the house in about 5 minutes flat.

Oh how I love him! It was beautiful and the scoreboard was simply afire with all the extra points he scored.

The pictures here are the highlights of the week. Well, actually, I'm not sure if you could call them highlights- finding Reese in her crib this morning, her arm stuck inside her pajama top with the sleeve totally soaked and mangled like she'd chewed her arm off isn't all that sensational, although we did get a good laugh out of it.

Anyway, hope you enjoy and are inspired by our architecture to build a blanket fort of your own- one of those childhood past-times that never looses its magic. I think Ry and I played in it longer than Reese.

Don't be fooled by its common place appearance, this is by far the COOLEST blanket fort you will ever see. :)

We even propped the whole thing up with very large sticks. Very rugged and tent-like.

We put our huge and fluffy down comforter inside and Reese threw herself onto it repeatedly with wreckless abandon. It was a huge hit.

And here's the little munchkin with her knawed-off hand.

To Cut or not to Cut

So. . .I'm thinking of chopping my hair. I saw this picture of Reese Witherspoon in Macey's the other day and LOVED it. Ry isn't so sure, but I'm sorely tempted.

Thoughts?

More and More Family Pics

It must be family picture season because it seems that we've been posing in every which way for several weeks now. I thought I'd post some of our favorites for your viewing pleasure. Yes, you may now get the microwave popcorn and gather the kiddies. Some are funny, some serious, and as always, Reese is the most photogenic of the bunch. Maybe because she cares the least.

"Little Pea was a happy little guy, he like to do lots of things. . . "

I have entered a whole new Mom Zone.

While I was still pregnant with Reese, about a year-and-a-half ago, I was window shopping with Ryan in the Gateway Mall in SLC. While there we happened upon a book called "Little Pea". I immediately fell in love with it, and I can only assume the tiny unborn baby inside of me did too.


It is now Reese's favorite book, and heaven help me, I'm not sure I can take much more of it. I can recite the whole thing in my sleep.


Last night before bed Reese ran to the bookshelf, and since she's just a little too short to reach the shelf with all the non-board books, she started chattering away and pointing. Knowing how this was going to end, and thinking of my own sanity, I grabbed a few new ones- very worthy and excellent books all of them, but she would have none of it. She wouldn't budge or smile until I put my fingers on Little Pea. A huge, irresistable grin spread across her cute little face. The Real Story of the Three Little Pigs, Olivia, and Bear Sleeps On were hurridly cast aside in her anxiety to get ready for the most entertaining book of all time.


We read it five times. And when she woke up this morning, she ran for it again.

Family Walk

I was just out walking with a friend of mine and as we rounded the bend of a street nearby we were met by a full-grown black lab with three of puppies, one of them with an adorable black and white speckled coat, all galloping behind. Both of us are avid dog-lovers and so as we crouched down, putting out our hands and trying to cuddle them, on came the rest of the family. Mom and one more adorable little puppy, with almost no coordination and whose feet and legs were too big for the rest of it, made the charge towards us.

We laughed so hard; you could almost hear the dialog as the parents tried to corral their rambunctious babies into some kind of order before they went for their walk.

It was one of those simple pleasures that you don't encounter very often, but when you do it makes you smile for the rest of the day and again every time you think of it after that.

Lots of flour. . .and a few cookies

Wow, post number three from me today!

Reese and I just made halloween sugar cookies, and I'm so happy to say that she was actually interested and enjoyed herself- I LOVE this older stage we're getting into, it's so fun! So I thought I'd put a few of the pics up here. I happened to have an old apron that my mom made me when we were all little kids, so that's why her apron says Molly all over it. :)

Running back from checking the oven,

Sampling the frosting,

Leaving her mark, and . . .

Ta-Da! All in a day's work.

Eat Cake

Hey everybody! I forgot that I wanted to refer you all to my new blog, "Eat Cake". I've gotten my wedding cake business up and running again, and have a fancy new blog to prove it. It's definitely a work in progress- I still have a huge list of to-do's and to-add's, but I'd love your feedback and/or referrals (spread the word, people, spread it like WILDFIRE!)

www.eatincake.blogspot.com

Thanks!

Meet the Flintstones!

Hello all, and Happy Halloween!

(I stepped out the front door this morning and thought the sky looked quite ghoulish!)

So I have just about a gazillion pictures to put up today, and I hope you thoroughly enjoy them.

These first ones were up at the Great Pumpkin Dinner- Reesey in her tutu, that uh, I made. I just feel so darn domestic lately! And me as the 1980's aerobics instructor, complete with head and wrist sweatbands.

We went to our ward Halloween party on Wednesday night, and thanks to some random stranger's suggestion that Reese looked like a perfect Pebbles, we had the greatest costumes ever. The thing I kept telling Ryan, what thrilled me the most, was that for the first time we would not have anyone wondering what exactly we were dressing up as. I'm sure (at least I'm hoping) you can tell from the pictures that there is no mistaking our resemblance to a certain Bedrock family. We even watched Flintstone's cartoons, you know. . .doing our homework.

Your basic Modern Stone-age Fam-i-ly.

Our little Pebbles- she even left the bone in her hair!

Here are also a few pictures of our friends at the party who's costumes were AWESOME! I'm sad though, we didn't get a picture of Bob Ross, and his wife, the Happy Tree. Alas. :)

Ezra and Kim as Mr. Rogers (complete with sneakers) and, of course, Charlie Chaplin

Stephanie and Craig as Popeye and Olive Oil- I wish you could see the back of her hair-

it was so perfect!

Pebbles found a sucker- actually, one of the other little kids found them and opened up I don't know how many and was handing them out like, well, candy. :)

So. . .basically what I'm saying here is that we had a blast. We definitely decided that we will continue to go all out for the rest of our Halloween careers.

Next on the agenda, is the picture I promised sometime last week- my newly upholstered, absolutely gorgeous chairs. (Can you tell I'm proud?) As I'm writing this, I'm remembering one of my mission companions that majored in interior design telling me about one of her textbooks that was titled 1000 Chairs or something like that. Well Wendy, this one's dedicated to you. I don't know if it's quite up to designer caliber, but I'd like to think so. :)

Oh! And I have to update on my new job. I started on Tuesday at Kneaders, and I already love it. Oh, I am just so happy! So far I've actually been doing more baking than pastry - just call me pumpkin girl, in only two days I've busted out something like 250 loaves of their amazing pumpkin bread-- try some today! (DING!- colgate smile).

Anyway, back to the job thing, I'm seriously loving it. There's just nothing in the world that can compare with doing something you absolutely love, and getting paid for it. Also, I can't say how much I love being back in the 'business'- the restaurant, customer is king, bustle of the kitchen with a million things to do rush of it all.

When I was little, my cousin Jill and I would play restaurant with her play kitchen. Maybe we were a little weird, but we would create these crazy scenarios of irate customers and people who wanted their meal just so, and hundreds of orders that had to be filled in minutes. If her parents had popped their heads in to check on us they probably would have wondered what in the world we were doing as we ran all over the room, searching for foreign ingredients, trying to satisfy our imaginary customers, and yelling back and forth to each other about the impossible task we were put to now. I LOVED it.

Yes, I am now, and always will be a total nerd.

Well, I think that's enough reminiscing for now- thanks for endulging me. :) Have a very happy, incredibly spooky Halloween everyone, and Meg, I wish you the best in your search for a costume tonight!

Be Prepared to be impressed!

Hello world! It feels like forever since I've written anything, but I think I've more than made up for it with what I'm about to write. Lots of wonderful newsey tidbits. First of all, I have a new job- that's right people, I am forever leaving the ranks of glorified lunch-ladies to become none other than the new Pastry Chef at a bakery up in Alpine called Kneaders.

Goodbye spider-webby hairnets! goodbye underaged boys who try to pick up on me! I'm leaving my scrubs behind forever, and I'm not shedding a tear! You may now applaud. I don't know if there are quite words to express the joy that fills my 5'3" soul at this thought. Nope. Can't think of a one.

But, wait- theres more! Oh, yes, besides the employment excitement, I have recently done something that is even amazing to me.

I finally reupholstered the dining room chairs that I bought over a year ago- and they're BEAUTIFUL!!! Thanks to you Upholstering for Dummies, I am a new woman. Somehow I just can't get enough of looking at them. After I finished I gathered Ry and Reese to help me ooh, and ahh.
We bonded.

Ok, so I just realized that I will have to put the pictures up tomorrow because I can't find the camara. Alas.

Oooh! The anticipation must be KILLING you!!!

Reesey

Here are a few of Reese that Melese and Kyle snapped a few weeks ago- I love them! They totally show off her personality.

Walk like an Egyptian, Romeo. . . I know, the pants are too tight.

Ryan's birthday was last Wednesday and so I surprised him with tickets to see Aida at the Hale Center Theater. We were thrilled to discover that the smallish theater was actually really good, and not small-town potatoes after all. We had such a great time- Melese and Kyle babysat our bug for us and so we actually felt like we were all cool and dating again. It was sweet. :)

The whole way home we couldn't stop talking about how amazing the play had been, despite the weird 80's twist (I'm pretty sure the pharoahs didn't wear anything near as tight as those leather pants with puff paint hieroglyphics, or have a femmy egyptian punk working on their daughters' nails). And their voices- especially the girl who played Aida- were absolutely fabulous. It was intimate theater, and I had forgotten how much fun it is to get completely caught up in the fantasy of it all.

The storyline was definitely different, but I was thinking about it, and I can totally picture the writers at work, dreaming it all up-

"Hmm, you know, I really like the story of Romeo and Juliet, but it's just so depressing. You know what should have happened? They should have been reincarnated."

"Yeah, that's it. Ok, now where could we set a story like that- I mean, who believes in reincarnation? "

" I know- Egypt!"

"That's it. Now all we need are some jazzy, up-tempo show numbers that virtually scream Elton John's name and we're set."

"Oh, man. This is gonna be so sweet."

Yeah, I'm bettin' that's pretty much how it all happened. Although, Ry pointed out that I probably ruined it for all those that don't know the story. Oh well, now at least you know that if you're lookin' for down and out tragedy than this isn't the show for you.

Its funny because both Ry and I said at the same time on the way home that you know, normally we don't believe in reincarnation, but sometimes, in the interest of a story not ending as a total downer, we're ok to let that one slide for a while. Yup. Stand up for what you believe in, people. :)

Sweet Fuzzy Lovin'

For the last few weeks Reese has been a stuffed-animal-lovin' fool. Any stuffed animal, anywhere, qualifies for some serious lovin' and the lucky ones get kissed and patted heartily. Funny thing, the other day I handed her the baby doll her Aunt Britney gave her, and she just held it out from her and looked at it, then at me like,

"Um. . .this isn't fuzzy. What am I supposed to do with it?"

I grabbed it and showed her how to give it loves, and this look of recognition came across her face, "Oh, I get it! It's an animal that lost its fur!"

She took it in her arms, lovingly rubbed it against her face, and smacked it soundly on the back.

Things should definitely be interesting when someday we bring another one of the 'fuzz-less animals' home from the hospital to stay. Hmm. Yeah, that should be an adjustment. :)

A while ago my sister Meg sent us a bunch of clothes that Annalee had grown out of for Reese to wear. Inside the box was a pair of fuzzy, purple, animal slippers (puppy? kitten?bobcat? I just don't know). For any Bones fans out there, do you remember last season when they took care of a baby, and Bones picks up the toy and goes, "And just so you know, this is wrong. Elephants aren't purple." Ha. I liked that part.

Anyway, they're still too big for Reese, but today, in a hurry to get Ry to school on time, we threw them on her feet. We soon found her in the back seat cuddling with them both. She'd pulled them off her feet and pressed their little faces up to her cheek and sighed and patted them on what would have been their backs if slipper animals had them. We got a great laugh out of it. The funny part is that we have yet to keep them on her feet- I tried again this afternoon, she did the same thing, and even planted a wet one on one of the mystery animal's nose.

I'm putting the video I took of her walking in them- right before she pulled them off- even though I turned the camera on its side not realizing that I wouldn't be able to flip the video. However, it is well worth tilting your head to watch because she walks like some cartoon character with ginormous (how do you spell that?!) shoes. Its great!