bruised and broken

I've never considered myself a klutz, but after the last two years I'm starting to rethink.

Friday morning I picked up MG and started downstairs for her nap.  I slipped and landed on my tailbone, mostly underneath her, I thought.  But I couldn't calm her down for half an hour.
I gave her a dose of ibuprofen, rocked and sang and snuggled her, and got her to sleep a few times.  As soon as I put her down in her crib she started wailing again.

Eventually she fell asleep in the crib and I started making phone calls: Slice, mom, Dr's office, mom.  (See how I am?)  I decided to wait until she woke up, see how she was acting, and take her in to the clinic if I needed to.  She woke up crying until I picked her up.  I set her on the ground and she was fine.  Then she tried to move ... and started screaming again.

I took her in.
We waited an hour for Dr. Staker but I couldn't complain; he wasn't even supposed to be there.  He checked her out (screaming!) and ordered X-rays, which took another hour (much more screaming!).  This was the worst part.  They had to hold her legs out in order to get good shots from the hip down, and I couldn't be in there with her.  They had to take more and more X-rays without a diaper, on the other side, etc. etc. It seemed to take forever.

Finally the word: broken left leg, just below the hip.
A cast for this injury would be a living nightmare - and because the fracture is still stable, we won't cast it unless we absolutely have to.  MG only has pain when she moves that leg so I just try to keep her immobile. All things considered, she's doing all right.  It could have been a WHOLE lot worse and we are counting our blessings.

Plus, I have some nice bruises.

Picture

I keep looking at this:

 And I just keep seeing this:

They grow up so fast.

while she's awake

It's been over a month since MG started crawling, and we all know what that means ... more work for Mama.

while my little one sleeps

I'll tell you about MG's sleeping.

One day a couple months ago, I put her down for a nap at 5:30 in the evening.  She was exhausted and ornery after only two short naps that day. I figured she'd sleep for a couple hours, then be awake another couple hours before we put her down for the night.

She woke up at 7:30 the next morning.

That's been our schedule ever since.

MG is now taking two 2-hr naps a day and sleeping from about 7 pm to 8 am, or later.  It is BLISS.
She loves to sleep!  She'll sleep in a pack and play pretty much anywhere, if it's semi-dark and there is some white noise in the background.  In Cedar she was so tired she didn't wake up when we turned on the light. (See above.)

So ... we finally put MG in Liam's room at night.  We've tried a few times before, but after this week, it's a done deal.  MG sleeps just fine - Liam's the one sneaking into our room at night (multiple times) for no reason.  I guess he just wants to be carried back to bed.

Hooray for sleep!  And for my girl!

Cedar

I learned something last week.

You people who have kids, who also have parents/siblings close by who are begging to watch said kids at the drop of a hat, for any length of time - YOU PEOPLE HAVE IT SO EASY.

Last weekend Slice and I drove our little family to Cedar City, Utah, to visit Slice's parents who moved there in January.  We don't see them often, obviously, so they were more than happy to play with Liam and MG while Slice and I went out on the town.

We went out on the town!

Thursday afternoon we went to Les Miserables.  Box seats.  Awesome.
(I cried.)

Slice didn't know anything about it, so I got to explain some things and tell him about Uintah's production years ago (that rotating stage!).  It totally took me back to our honeymoon and Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian, and how I wish we had more opportunities to do stuff like that.  Too bad we live out in the middle of nowhere.

After the very looooong play, we got back to visiting with the parents and lounging around.  We basically watched TV for the next two days, except when we went swimming, playing at the park, and eating.  Also, when Slice and I got out two more times without kids!  What a life.

Moral of the story:  we'll be returning to Cedar soon.

A Politician at Heart

Remember how there was a pool hullabaloo in Duchesne County a couple years ago?
The proposition got voted down.  By a large margin, in fact.  It was devastating for many of us.

The dream didn't die, but was put to rest until other Basin residents took it up.  A new committee formed and quietly made plans.  Last week was the all-important City Council meeting, where the council would decide whether to support the new project or not.  I walked in and sat for two hours, listening to my neighbors and doctors and coworkers and friends have a passionate, respectful discourse about how to improve our community.

I left inspired by the goodness and the vision of those around me.

The next day I recounted the evening's events for my mom, who had missed the meeting.  She smiled as I told her how pleased I was by the outcome, then surprised me by saying, "You're just a politician at heart."

I've been thinking about that ever since.  Am I really?

A New Leaf

Today I'm turning over a new leaf.

I set an alarm for this morning.  Do you have any idea how long it's been since I set an alarm?  Of course not; I don't have any idea myself.  Probably pre-Liam.  For shame.
For the past few weeks I've been waking up with Liam, bringing him into my room and letting him play with my phone/Kindle until I want to get out of bed or he begs for breakfast, whichever happens first.  Previous to that I woke up to screaming or door-banging, or both.  What a life.

I've spent too much time on the internet - reading but not writing, watching but not doing, browsing but not creating.  It has a way of creeping up on you.

I HAVE been recovering from surgery, that's my excuse.  I've also been depressed about the end of summer (which happens every year) because it means WINTER IS COMING.  The neverending Basin winter that feels like Narnia pre-Pevensies.  How can anyone be happy about this??

Add all that up and you have: unambitious, unproductive, unhappy Jean.  Something(s) had to change.

So I've created a schedule for myself - starting with an alarm clock.  If I can get up before my kids do, I can get stuff done first thing in the morning.  I can work for two hours before even opening the laptop.  I can start doing more of the things I should be, so I'm not thinking about things I shouldn't be.
I can start exercising ... with two kids in tow ...
I might need help with that.
Any ideas?

Eight Things

.... that I love about Slice.

When he comes home from work, he drops his stuff and goes straight for the kids.  He changes diapers, he wrestles on the floor, he takes Liam to run errands with him.  He even makes dinner, pretty frequently.

He puts the kids to bed.  He and Liam have a nightly ritual after family prayer: brush teeth, bedtime song, "tooth medicine" (fluoride).

He lets me take naps.  (Okay, he makes me take naps sometimes.)  He takes care of the kids so I can go to two-hour city council meetings, and Bunco night, and Relief Society activities.

He notices things.  Like the light fixture in the bathroom at Chuck-a-Rama. I love that.

He doesn't gloat too much when the Holy War goes badly for me....

He pays for other people at restaurants.

He talks about politics ALL.DAY.LONG.  Well ... actually I get sick of it, but I'm glad that he cares.  If he DIDN'T care we'd have a bigger problem on our hands.

He tells me to blog.

to the eye

Last week I met up with my sister Kiana in downtown Salt Lake and we spent a couple hours at Temple Square.
I wouldn't recommend doing this with two small children and no stroller.
(You'd think I hadn't been doing this for over two years ... I still forget pretty important things.)

However, I would recommend visiting the second floor of the Church History Museum, which houses not only a children's interactive exhibit but also the winners of the Ninth International Art Competition.  Ki and I wandered through, soaking it in as well as we could with Liam and MG toddling about.  It made me realize how much I miss art museums.

(See: here and here and here and here)

I would link to my favorite pieces from the competition, but I can't, so I'll just tell you: Early Spring, 1820 by Jeffery Robert Pugh, While Mary Sleeps - Morning by Lester Lee Yocum, John the Baptist, Alexander Carlson Rane.  You can look through the online gallery if you're so inclined.  It just won't be the same.

Speaking of ... would you believe that no representation of The Kiss does justice to the piece?  I'm not even a Klimt lover and WOW.  I'm telling you, in person it is mesmerizing.  The gold SPARKLES.

So I want to know. do you have a favorite artist?  (I fell in love with this one in Prague.) What makes him/her your favorite? Do you have this artist's work in your house?  What would your piece of choice be?

I'm also a fan of Rembrandt.  Etchings, mostly.
You?

Kitchen Discoveries

Slice and I can peaches every year.  I'm not the best at home canning but peaches are the one thing I WILL can forever and ever, amen.  There is no comparison between the home-canned and the store-bought.  None.
ANYWAY.
We sliced and processed 14 jars, then realized we were out of empty quart jars with half a box of peaches left.  I had an idea: freezer jam.  I'd only had strawberry freezer jam before, which is great, and I had extra pectin from making it earlier this year.  Also, the container had a recipe for peach jam.  So the next night I pureed and chopped and mixed and poured, and YOU GUYS.  THE MOST DELICIOUS THING YOU HAVE EVER TASTED.  If you have tasted it, that is.  If not, you really should.  I've been planning meals around my peach freezer jam (crepes, toast, PB sandwiches, pancakes, french toast....).  I eat it every day, multiple times.  I look forward to it when I'm away from home.  I want to marry it.

I also pinned a cookie recipe last week that looked so good I had to make it that day.  I was not disappointed.  I made the cookies again Saturday night, rolled in raw sugar (the first time I used regular white sugar).  I didn't like the raw sugar as much, but Slice liked it better. Go figure.

Then last night we made ice cream in baggies for FHE, which I haven't done since 11th grade chemistry class.  It was a hit.  Slice liked it so much he's made it 4 times, with chocolate syrup instead of sugar, milk instead of cream, etc. etc.  I guess it's healthier than the Breyer's stuff that I love ...

Good eating around here, folks.  You should come visit.