This is Claire eating the cupcake.
This is Claire licking the cupcake.
This is Claire licking frosting finger.
And this is Claire satisfied with the cupcake in her tummy.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Rainbow Cupcakes
Monday, April 18, 2011
Easter
Easter is one of my favorite holidays. I love the sight of new life growing in the garden and new life being brought into this world. I love the colors of spring and the fresh smells. Since we have new life in our house I wanted to try and photograph the girls in their Easter dresses with our baby chicks and a loaner bunny. Thanks Amalia for the bunny.
Claire has now reached the stage where you tell her to smile and she makes this face. I don't know what that's about, but I could not get her to smile normal. Still cute though.
Come to find out that it is very difficult to photograph children and animals at the same time.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
My American Life: Know When to Fold'em
This week on This American Life the topic is knowing when to fold'em or hold'em. Should I walk away or not? Or should I run away?
The Hold'ems
When Claire was a new two year old she asked me for a granola bar. About 10 minutes later I noticed a half eaten "nola" bar on the floor and a bajillion little "nola" bars all over the floor. I promptly told Claire, "You need to pick that up and throw it in the garbage." She promptly told me, "No!" So, I told her that she would have to sit in time out until she was ready to come pick up her nola bar. She did not want to stay in time out so for the next HOUR I put her back in time out nonstop! She was screaming like a possessed child and kept running out as soon as I put her in time out. Like I said this went on for an hour. I even tried to compromise with her by saying, "Mommy will pick up all these tiny gooey pieces if you just pick up the other half of the nola bar and throw it in the garbage." She was not having it. I'm sure she was thinking, "Yeah right Mom. It's my way or the highway" because she was not even having that. Little did she know that she was cruising right along the scenic route "Mom Is Not Giving Up Highway." Believe me, after an hour went by...more like 10 minutes... the thought crossed my mind to just go pick it all up myself and end this fiasco, but I told myself to be strong and how could I give up now? So I stayed strong for all those moms who have screaming two year olds or who have ever had two year olds and for the future moms of two year olds I was not giving up. I stayed strong for the moms who have embarrassingly walked away from a child rolling on the floor down the cereal aisle in a fit of rage pretending that "that's not my child." I stayed strong for the Moms who have put their children in time out 242 times repeatedly in one night. I stayed strong for the Moms that never give in to discipline because they know that if they do this little precious demon that we love so much will put on their stilleto heels and stomp all over us. Long story long, she picked up her nola bar...FINALLY!
The second hold'em would have to be my marriage. Poor Dallin has to listen to my honey do's, my rantings and ravings, my sarcasm, my mood swings, and watch my bad habits. But on the other hand, poor me has to deal with Dallin's stuff that I won't go into detail about partly because I can't really think of any right now, but trust me he can be aggravating at times. I know most of you out there are thinking, "Dallin? I can't picture Dallin being aggravating or losing his temper." Throw me a bone here people, he can! But I am not willing to fold with man! He is stuck with me! Marriage is not supposed to be all roses right? Marriage reminds me of bathroom spray. You can't have all country garden you have to have some poop mixed in with it. Dallin, I love you, and I am not folding...today. just kidding. :)
The Fold'ems
I am a pansy when it comes to bartering, gambling (the little that I have done), and whealin' and dealin'. We have some dear friends that we left back in Pocatello. Our Rook buddies. You know who you are. The part in Rook where you bid to see who takes the cards in the middle. Can't do it. I literally sweat, I can't think, my heart starts palpating, anxiety, if I had a paper bag I would breathe into it if I ever win the bidding. That is why the majority of the time I pass. Same with bartering. If I went to Mexico they would love me because I would be happy to just pay the price they asked for and not barter. How do you say "sucker" in Spanish?
The last thing I folded on/walked away from was the little relationship that I had with my father. Because of the decisions that he made years ago, I decided to sever what relationship I had with him, when I had children. This was an easy decision to make but a hard decision to inform him of. But I have no regrets and I am still happy with that decision that I made. Do I have a roller coaster of feelings when I think about him? Yes. But I can't let emotional feelings get in the way when it comes to my childrens' safety.
The End.
The Hold'ems
When Claire was a new two year old she asked me for a granola bar. About 10 minutes later I noticed a half eaten "nola" bar on the floor and a bajillion little "nola" bars all over the floor. I promptly told Claire, "You need to pick that up and throw it in the garbage." She promptly told me, "No!" So, I told her that she would have to sit in time out until she was ready to come pick up her nola bar. She did not want to stay in time out so for the next HOUR I put her back in time out nonstop! She was screaming like a possessed child and kept running out as soon as I put her in time out. Like I said this went on for an hour. I even tried to compromise with her by saying, "Mommy will pick up all these tiny gooey pieces if you just pick up the other half of the nola bar and throw it in the garbage." She was not having it. I'm sure she was thinking, "Yeah right Mom. It's my way or the highway" because she was not even having that. Little did she know that she was cruising right along the scenic route "Mom Is Not Giving Up Highway." Believe me, after an hour went by...more like 10 minutes... the thought crossed my mind to just go pick it all up myself and end this fiasco, but I told myself to be strong and how could I give up now? So I stayed strong for all those moms who have screaming two year olds or who have ever had two year olds and for the future moms of two year olds I was not giving up. I stayed strong for the moms who have embarrassingly walked away from a child rolling on the floor down the cereal aisle in a fit of rage pretending that "that's not my child." I stayed strong for the Moms who have put their children in time out 242 times repeatedly in one night. I stayed strong for the Moms that never give in to discipline because they know that if they do this little precious demon that we love so much will put on their stilleto heels and stomp all over us. Long story long, she picked up her nola bar...FINALLY!
The Fold'ems
I am a pansy when it comes to bartering, gambling (the little that I have done), and whealin' and dealin'. We have some dear friends that we left back in Pocatello. Our Rook buddies. You know who you are. The part in Rook where you bid to see who takes the cards in the middle. Can't do it. I literally sweat, I can't think, my heart starts palpating, anxiety, if I had a paper bag I would breathe into it if I ever win the bidding. That is why the majority of the time I pass. Same with bartering. If I went to Mexico they would love me because I would be happy to just pay the price they asked for and not barter. How do you say "sucker" in Spanish?
The last thing I folded on/walked away from was the little relationship that I had with my father. Because of the decisions that he made years ago, I decided to sever what relationship I had with him, when I had children. This was an easy decision to make but a hard decision to inform him of. But I have no regrets and I am still happy with that decision that I made. Do I have a roller coaster of feelings when I think about him? Yes. But I can't let emotional feelings get in the way when it comes to my childrens' safety.
The End.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Kate's First Mango
And this is my cute Claire Bear. I couldn't resist posting this one.
Friday, April 1, 2011
My American Life: See No Evil
So, the topic this week is when people experience something awkward, distressing, or uncomfortable they pretend that everything is okay.
The first thing that jumps into my mind is how it takes a lot...A LOT to make me finally blow up and tell someone what I think. I can take a lot of annoyances, heartache, and grief before I actually stand up for myself. Somebody can irritate me or make me mad and I just keep it bottled up inside until finally one day I explode like Mt. St. Helens. I usually try to avoid contact with the perpetrator and if I have to make contact I usually put on my Stepford Wife smile and grit my teeth and make nice...hoping that the perpetrator has no idea of the boiling geyser that is bubbling inside. If this continues it is exactly like the famous geyser at Yellowstone National Park. I spew my emotions out with such force that people would probably pay and take pictures to see the "Jen that is so nice" blow her top. Mostly I just come home and blow my top to my poor husband and my true friends. Luckily for the people that I love I do not blow my top as faithfully as Old Faithful...every hour. I believe that I have only truly blown my top about 3 times in my whole life. Therefore, you can imagine the toll that this is taking on my innerds. I believe there are a few words to describe me here. "Two faced" and "fake." I am prepared to accept this.
The second thing that came to mind is that when I feel awkward around somebody I tend to go about my business as if they are not there. I don't make eye contact at all. In Salmon, we love to take our dog to the dog park to run around joyfully, with tongue hanging out, slobber flung up on his head, mouth opened into a smile, panting, loving every millisecond that he is there to socialize with other dogs, smell new bums, pee on new rocks, and chase the same old ducks. Unfortunately for me it is right next to a skate park. I try to be accepting of skaters. I grew up idolizing skaters because I thought they were just so rad! But, deep down I feel terribly awkward around the people that socialize there. I cope with that by pretending they are not there. You could say that I find my happy place.
The third thing that comes to mind is whenever somebody gets/got mad at me: my mom, a teacher, etc I cannot help but smile and laugh. I don't know where this comes from, but I cannot help it. I think maybe it is because I feel awkward so I don't know what to do so I laugh. It's not that I think it is funny by any means, but I just can't help myself. I can remember my mother getting so mad or should I say more mad because I was laughing after she gave me a tongue lashing. Sometimes too, I find that same stupid smile creeping onto my face after someone has told me terrible news like, "My father has cancer," "We are foreclosing on our house," "So and so are getting divorced." I don't know why this is. It's not that I find these things funny by any means. Inside I am aching for these people but I have to conscientiously tell myself, "Wipe the smile off your face, stupid." I try to make my forehead, eyebrows, and eyes make up for this uncontrollable phenomenon by furrowing and wrinkling...but to no avail.
The End.
The first thing that jumps into my mind is how it takes a lot...A LOT to make me finally blow up and tell someone what I think. I can take a lot of annoyances, heartache, and grief before I actually stand up for myself. Somebody can irritate me or make me mad and I just keep it bottled up inside until finally one day I explode like Mt. St. Helens. I usually try to avoid contact with the perpetrator and if I have to make contact I usually put on my Stepford Wife smile and grit my teeth and make nice...hoping that the perpetrator has no idea of the boiling geyser that is bubbling inside. If this continues it is exactly like the famous geyser at Yellowstone National Park. I spew my emotions out with such force that people would probably pay and take pictures to see the "Jen that is so nice" blow her top. Mostly I just come home and blow my top to my poor husband and my true friends. Luckily for the people that I love I do not blow my top as faithfully as Old Faithful...every hour. I believe that I have only truly blown my top about 3 times in my whole life. Therefore, you can imagine the toll that this is taking on my innerds. I believe there are a few words to describe me here. "Two faced" and "fake." I am prepared to accept this.
The second thing that came to mind is that when I feel awkward around somebody I tend to go about my business as if they are not there. I don't make eye contact at all. In Salmon, we love to take our dog to the dog park to run around joyfully, with tongue hanging out, slobber flung up on his head, mouth opened into a smile, panting, loving every millisecond that he is there to socialize with other dogs, smell new bums, pee on new rocks, and chase the same old ducks. Unfortunately for me it is right next to a skate park. I try to be accepting of skaters. I grew up idolizing skaters because I thought they were just so rad! But, deep down I feel terribly awkward around the people that socialize there. I cope with that by pretending they are not there. You could say that I find my happy place.
The third thing that comes to mind is whenever somebody gets/got mad at me: my mom, a teacher, etc I cannot help but smile and laugh. I don't know where this comes from, but I cannot help it. I think maybe it is because I feel awkward so I don't know what to do so I laugh. It's not that I think it is funny by any means, but I just can't help myself. I can remember my mother getting so mad or should I say more mad because I was laughing after she gave me a tongue lashing. Sometimes too, I find that same stupid smile creeping onto my face after someone has told me terrible news like, "My father has cancer," "We are foreclosing on our house," "So and so are getting divorced." I don't know why this is. It's not that I find these things funny by any means. Inside I am aching for these people but I have to conscientiously tell myself, "Wipe the smile off your face, stupid." I try to make my forehead, eyebrows, and eyes make up for this uncontrollable phenomenon by furrowing and wrinkling...but to no avail.
The End.
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