Saturday is oh so sweet.

Sam Rocks! and climbs! We call him godzilla. He's getting even fatter and more muscular than ever before. I think it may be related to the introduction of meat to his diet. This past week he ate two entire chicken thighs by himself and begged for more.Kate offers me a bouquet of children's utensils. Just what I always wanted.... we'd better get that in water.
We headed to the Bean Museum at BYU. Just for something to do with the kids. They liked just as much as the zoo it seems. We like it more than the zoo this time of year... it is free and indoors.
The kids thought this Liger was the best.

Kate sadly relates the animals she sees to Disney movies. IE... (an ostrich) "That is like Up" or "Bambi runs and runs" when checking out the deer. We really don't let her watch that much tv... really.
Jake always tries to convince me that he if we happened upon a bear in the wild he could most likely take it. But even he agreed he'd be no match for this beast.
Thanks Bean- your gave us the joy of hearing our children squeal in delight all Saturday afternoon for absolutley free.
I think next Saturday may include letting the kids dance themselves to sleep at a free Big Band concert here in town. Saturday is oh so sweet...especially when it begins with you sleeping in until 9:00.... well sleeping in is a funny way to put being up all night with kids, then handing them off to Jake at 6:00 for three hours of sleep. But that sleep is often the best sleep because I am not even subconsciously listening for the kids because I know Jake is awake and in charge.

Life is getting Simpler Still.

#1 Homemade laundry bag the size of a small adult woman
We have gone through so many hampers and laundry type bags the last few years. I don't know what the architect genius who designed our home was thinking when he decided to put the laundry room on the main floor, and all the bedrooms on the 2nd floor. This decision leaves me hauling loads and loads of laundry up and down the stairs every day. My life is so rough huh? I am complaining about moving laundry. After another worn through bag I decided enough was enough. I took a sheet sewed it into a long rectangular bag and used some scraps for handles. Not only did it cost me nothing it is actually big enough to fit a day or two of laundry in it.... which is somehow like seven loads of laundry. Remember when we didn't have a washer or dryer for the first four years of our marriage. What were we thinking?
All I know is- Laundry Bag I can fit in = a few less trips up and down the stairs.

#2 1 TB of external memory.
If you asked me what the most valuable material possession I owned was I would answer you in under one second flat that my pictures are what I prize above any other THING in my house. Jake and I headed to Best Buy on Saturday to pick him up a new netbook and we found this on sale for $99. That may seem like a lot for something I may never use- but it helps free up just one more ounce of energy I spend stressing out every time my computer seems to be on the edge of malfunction. I loaded every picture I have since 2002 which was around 6,000, every home video, my journal (which I have been keeping in a word file since 2002 which I highly recommend), digital copies of the scrapbooks I have created for the children, and anything else that seemed mildly important to me onto it in one simply hour. Then whisked it away to my fire safe and locked it up for safe keeping. I also went ahead and loaded the 6000 + pictures to shutterly.com for a back up to my backup. Now I will surely never have to rely on my own memory to remember the last wonderful eight years.
This 1TB of memory looks like a beautiful bar of minted silver but I would say it is worth it's weight in gold.


#3 A Garlic Press
This may seem like such a simple thing. And it is. The rest of the universe likely received one as a wedding gift and didn't think twice about it. I cook quite a bit, especially since I quit working and became a full time wife. I use to spend the time dicing and pressing my garlic for recipes by hand. Likely once a week. A few months ago, I purchase a garlic press for myself. Yup- I caved and spent all of $6.00 or so on a simple kitchen utensil. It has changed dinner prep in a minor way- but one minute a week for a year is almost an hour a year doing something as pointless as prepping garlic. I think I will be browsing the kitchen utensil selection at Smith's on a more regular basis for more normal modern kitchen conveniences.

What is new in your life making it that much simpler?

Genetics are Incredible!

Most people just go on and on... and on about how Samuel is a mini Jake. This week I was going through a box of my old stuff at my parents and found a picture of me as an infant. Jake and I both- when we saw it -though it looked so much like Sam. So I thought I would put some pictures up for comparison. In the defense of the "my children look like me too" argument I am constantly making.
I do see why people are always saying that Sam looks like Jake though. That perfect head, tear drop eyes and handsome grin declare the paternity of this child without a doubt.
Kate looks like she belongs in a peanut butter commercial to me in this picture- and a lot like Jake. I'm fair but I would classify Kate's ivory skin more on the level of her father's nearly allergic to the sun skin. Those luscious eyebrows and eyelashes she'll have to thank her Dad for too.
Hmmm, more Jake I think. This and the picture below I think are of similar ages of Kate and Jake.
Kate around 15 months old.
Not sure how old Jake is here- but I would guess around 18 months.
Those dimples sure do show up in our children's genetic strands with power. How lucky are they? I actually saw that creating dimples is now elective cosmetic surgery- costing thousands of dollars.
I'll leave you with a couple of this weeks favorite shots... and let you decide for yourself.
I think we can all agree either way that our genes meshed together to create a super breed of incredibly attractive children.

10 year look back

I think this is pretty interesting. I found it browsing around here.

Ordinary Moments

Studying up-
Possessed and eating yogurt- Trix Rabbit "yougret" at that.
Kate drew this and told me it was Jake- I wasn't aware she though her Dad looked so much like a jello mold. It is a fair likeness for a two year old. I think that those are just small ears... not earrings.
Here is a really fair likeness to Jake. Seriously zoom in on this picture of Sam. People are always telling me they look so alike. I see when they tell me, I see it everyday, and in this picture it is ridiculous how much they are father and son.
Nobody ever looked more somber about the prospect of going to play in the snow.
Sneaky little hands pluck away at the keyboard through the chair often through out our day. Didn't you get their email?
Pointing to anything and saying "that" or in this case "dog". Our children LOVE this dog, she is often used to get whinny children up after they have thrown themselves on the floor when I am making dinner, or simply had enough.