Friday, April 25, 2008

Mushy Goodness

For Trav's 30th birthday, I gave him a list of 30 things I love about him. Some of you may say "Aww" and some of you "Ewww!" Nevertheless, here they are, in no particular order:

1. The way you sing to our kids (‘Somebody’ by Depeche Mode, hymns, Christmas songs)
2. Your holiday enthusiasm
3. Your athleticism
4. The way you hum when you work
5. You’re a kid at heart
6. You always come home from work smiling, even on rough days
7. Your love of Disneyland and kiddie attractions
8. You rarely complain
9. You find it a joy to spend time with the kids, not a burden or babysitting
10. You’re competitive
11. The love you have for your friends and family, and your genuine desire for them to succeed in life
12. Your positive, can-do spirit
13. Your love of the Savior and your testimony
14. The way you interact with teenagers in your church calling
15. Nothing grosses you out
16. You’ll see chick flicks…and you can even quote them!
17. You are an amazing father and you support the kids’ individuality
18. You are a joy to travel with. . .all I have to do is pack and show up!
19. Your willingness to try new things (salsa dancing, crazy foods, new recipes)
20. Your cooking
21. You let me get out of town and I never have to worry about the kids
22. You support my spontaneous desires
23. The way you take charge with house duties or in preparation for company
24. The way you make me laugh and tease (except late at night, Mr. Provoker!)
25. Your love of baseball and patience in teaching Boston
26. Your hotness
27. Your energy and work ethic
28. “Greetings from the interior”
29. The way you love me when I’m having a bad day
30. Your mad communication skills

And p.s. If you think I'm too cheap for a gift, ask him about the road trip he's taking with his buddies this summer that, thus far, has been titled , "8 Stadiums in 9 Days."

Courage



So I know many of you are wondering how our Patrick, Patch, Paddy Wagon, Pat is doing. He has been undergoing rigorous chemotherapy treatment to blast his cancer that, as far as we know, is affecting his lymph nodes.

He has been very private about just how painful this ordeal has been, but he allowed me to go to his treatment yesterday. He was by far the youngest patient and surrounded mostly by older men, one of which was a sweet veteran of both the Vietnam and Korean Wars. I was surprised to hear this guy chatting it up with the nurses about American Idol and his dismay that Carly (the Irish singer) was voted off last week. I really couldn't imagine my own grandparents watching reality tv, so it was cute and quirky.

Pat didn't say much and I could tell the other patients' hearts were just aching to see such a young man in the "house of horrors" as I've heard it described. It wasn't until last weekend that I saw how ugly this disease truly is.

Ashley really is the best wife. I love her optimistic attitude, sweet support, and her selfless love through this challenging time. She's a great addition to our family.

Right now we're just praying that his counts go down (they will re-check his numbers in the beginning of May. Mainly we just want him to be happy again. Once Patch is feeling better, he and Ashley are going to get the honeymoon they missed. Most likely they'll be heading to SoCal, so if any of you have any hookups on some beachfront fun, let me know!

Thanks again for all the love, and support. It makes all the difference!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Horsin' Around




I have this awesome friend named Toni whom I worked with at Challenger School a few years back. She's just a little thing, but man is she a powerhouse. She started working at Challenger as a temp doing accounts payable/receivable and later took over purchasing. Now she helps in developing and planning new schools and playgrounds. One of her fave phrases is "I'm not afraid!" We used to work out every day on our lunch hour...needless to say, my love handles miss her.

Toni grew up on a ranch in a small town called Price, Utah. I'm always amazed by her can-do spirit. Even through some tough challenges, including losing her dad to cancer about 9 years ago and being a single mom, I don't think she's ever had an attitude of defeat, but rather this little fire inside of her that keeps her racing ahead. She's an example to me and I love that we are so different, yet have such a blast together.

Toni has some horse property and was kind enough to load up some horses and take me to the mountains a few weeks ago. I was out of my element, but told her "I'm not afraid!" as we scaled some rough terrain. She laughed at me when I saddled up with a bike helmet, but I told her that too many people rely on my brain for me to be cavalier! I'm sure I'll be sharing more stories about Toni later, such as the time we ate some questionable ice cream sandwiches from the office kitchen. Love you, Ton Loc!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

You don't see this in Los Angeles!


There are definitely some fun bonuses about living in Utah. For instance, one boring Wednesday afternoon, your neighbor unloads a tractor in his front yard to do some digging. Boston's eyes haven't been so wide since our last trip to Disneyland. He cautiously boarded the beast with our neighbor and helped lift his buddies up and down in the bucket. We have great neighbors and a cul-de-sac full of boys, which translates to bikes, balls, and dirt mounds full of tiny army soldiers. I love it. And I love the four dogs that gallop around and bring joy (and piles of poop) to our little corner of the world.

The city slickers (and yes, I'm pretty much still one of 'em) are worried that the kids are going to get sucked under the tires as seen in 'A Man in the Moon'...and perhaps this also appears a bit white trash. Think what you may, but Boston sure had a blast!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Just Pics





Mother Myths



Sometimes as mothers we say things about our kids. Perhaps it's pride, a good day, or just hope that if we say it enough it'll come true. We say our kids are perfect little angels. They never fight going down for a nap. They never refuse to eat their peas. We know our kids will never eat candy at breakfast or for bribery at a meal. I consider myself a well-seasoned mom of toddlers now and I know that if I say something won't happen; guess what, it will!


This precious photo opp with Cassidy indeed represents a side of her sweet little personality, but I'm guessing if she had her say (and she makes herself known with very few words) she'd tell me that photo opp 'B' is far more authentic!

Ode to a Pooty


‘Twas even before birth little Boston would suckle
For in each ultrasound he’d be nursing his knuckle,

So it came as no surprise that he’d one day become moody,
At the mere thought of forfeiting this blessed li’l pooty,

By the age of three it’s of course no surprise
That more than one would find favor in his eyes.

Whether silicone, latex or the one his buddy left behind,
They’d bring him comfort, joy, and a euphoric state of mind,

And when friends would poke fun and his doctor criticize,
Mom had to take note of the m.d.’s plus size,

Adults have vices: their ciggies, food and drinky,
Yet they look down their nose at a kid’s little binky,

But it was time to let go and yes, way overdue,
We know this baby chapter is over and through.


Boston’s a big boy now and ready for new stuff,
Plus a gun paired with a paci can never look ‘tough’!