Saying Goodbye to Rhode Island - November 2009

We weren't ready to leave Rhode Island.  I have moved a lot in my life and generally really like moving.  I look forward to change and new adventures.  But, we were both hesitant to leave Providence.  It may be because it was the first place we started out together as a family (we had lived as singles in the DC area for years before we were married), because we had such great friends, because that is where Liam was born,  that we have an affinity for New England or all of the above.  Whatever the reason, leaving was hard.

One of the hardest things about leaving was saying goodbye to our church family.  The second week that we were in Providence, we were assigned to work with the 8-11 year old youth during Sunday school and also Cub Scouts.  It meant that we felt like we didn't know any adults for a while (eventually we made some great adult friends as well!), but we had some fabulous young friends.  We're glad that some of them keep in touch (even if it is only to get paid for their grades once a quarter!).  

Rockport, Mass and Ogunquit, Maine - November 2009

To celebrate my (31st - aaack!!) birthday in November and to make the most of our last weekend in New England, we took a short weekend trip up the coast to Rockport, Mass and Ogunquit, Maine, two of my favorite spots.  It was cool but beautiful and we spent a lot of time walking and soaking in the ocean (not literally - way too cold) before leaving it for the desert that is Utah.  

We stayed in Ogunquit, at the Beachmere Inn and walked the Marginal Way.  Our room was amazing, the sunrise was perfect, and Will spoiled me by letting me get Liam some handmade local toys (including the cutest wooden lobster pull toy ever) and myself some souvenirs.  

Of course the best part of the weekend was spending it together.  It was great to be away from home and not working and especially to escape the misery that was packing all of our stuff for a couple days.  We made up for it with some late nights when we got home but it was definitely worth it.

We will be back, New England.

Grandma and Grandpa Doutre - October and November 2009

While we were still close, we made a couple trips to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Pennsylvania.  While we were there in October, Liam made himself useful by helping grandpa paint the deck.

In November, their house made the perfect first stop on our move across the country.  The timing worked out great and we were able to be there for Thanksgiving and the annual Christmas decorating.  Liam enjoyed having two extra people entertaining him full time and especially loved walking in the walker in the basement (unfortunately I didn't capture any photos).

It's pretty amazing that we haven't been to New Hope for five months.  Will and I have not gone that long without visiting since we met.  We hope to make a trip this summer - maybe a 4th of July repeat from last year.  I'm sure Liam will be much more active in the pool this year!

Speaking of last year, now that I have figured out how to post video, I can add this video of Grandpa doing his 4th of July/Birthday dance with Liam.  

He was so tiny!

Today!

Rockies' Opening Day at Coors Field (we beat the Padres, 7-0)

Avalanche game against the Chicago Blackhawks (we lost, 4-2)

For Christmas and his birthday, I got Will tickets to the Avs and the Rockies.  It's fun to have a little weekend away and the extra bonuses of getting to hang out with my brother and sister-in-law, Taylor and Marisha, and Will's dad, Bill (who is in town for work).

I am amazed at how awesome Liam was today.  The picture at the hockey game is taken at about 9:20 pm, a good hour after Liam's normal bedtime and he went and went and went today.  What a good baby!  Maybe he was high on non-stop compliments all day about his good looks and charming nature.  

He was especially entertaining during the hockey game.  We had great seats and ended up sitting next to some Chicago fans.  Liam really enjoyed the music and cheering but seemed to save his claps for when the Hawks scored.  The Chicago fans were loving it and the Avs fans near us were teasing him about being a traitor.  He really couldn't have been cuter.  He also sweet-talked (maybe sweet-gestured is more accurate) a woman near us into some of her fries!

Some may remember that we went to Opening Day last year, at Fenway Park.  Things have really changed in one year!  We will have to hide these pictures from Liam when he's old enough to want to go to professional sporting events - he may think we were establishing some type of tradition...

New Jersey - October 2009

I realized today that I missed a trip in my trying to catch up.  We clearly had a very busy Fall with little time at home.  In October I did some work in Trenton, NJ and, of course, Will and Liam came along.  The highlights of the trip were a visit to the Trenton Aquarium (it has hippos!) and a weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Doutre on the way home.

Will and Liam - Liam isn't quite sure if he's a fan of the fish.

Liam and I petting a shark.  He was a fan of the water!

Penguins - maybe he was tired?

Feeding the birds.  One actually ate out of Liam's hand but I didn't get a picture.

With Grandma Doutre in the gift shop.  With the justification of Halloween coming up, he had to have the hat!

Boston - November 2009

In November, Will had a job interview in Boston.  Liam and I decided to join him and go exploring.  Liam loved the train.  He really is a fan of moving quickly, especially when he doesn't have to be strapped into his carseat.  An added bonus of the trip to Boston was that Bill and Marie (Will's parents) were in Boston for a meeting so we met up with them for a fun train ride back to Providence and a fun weekend at our house!

This makes me smile...

...every time!

San Francisco - November 2009

In November, I had a meeting in San Francisco and Liam and Will tagged along. 

We were very lucky to see our friend Colleen who was also in town.  She picked us up at the airport and drove us to our hotel.

Colleen laughed very hard when Will started unpacking our suitcases.  In them was, in addition to the typical clothes and toiletries for three people, diapers and wipes, dishwashing supplies, a lot of toys, a bumbo, and even a baby swing!  The days of pretending like I'm able to travel light are definitely over.

While I was in meetings, Will and Liam explored San Francisco.  They went to Alcatraz, Muir Woods, saw the sights, etc.

The one afternoon I had free, we rented bikes and rode across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.  We had an amazing experience until my bike got a flat tire.  Luckily, after a lot of crying and praying, a kind man stopped and picked me and Liam up and drove us to the ferry in Sausalito.  

General Conference

Today we attended Music and the Spoken Word and a session of LDS General Conference.  The Easter music and sermons about Jesus Christ were so refreshing.  I am so grateful for the hope of Easter and Spring.

This message from Music and the Spoken Word this morning resonated with me.  I love light and look forward to spending some time in the sun in the near future!

Light of Life

by Lloyd D. Newell

April 4, 2010

Something within us loves light.  We need light for life.  Both physically and spiritually, we thrive when we see and feel the light  Who doesn't feel drawn to a window, not just for the view it affords, but especially for the light it invites?

The natural world shows how essential light is to life.  Delicate flowers push their way through the darkness of the cold, hard soil just to drink from the sun's warm light.  Spring's bold display of blossoms is a direct response to longer days of more direct light.

In ancient times, people were more dependent on natural light than we are today.  And when the sun went down, they could not simply flip a switch or press a button to illuminate their dwellings.

Long ago, early on that first Easter morning, "it was yet dark" when Mary went to the garden tomb (see John 20:1).  The darkness in the world around her was likely easier to bear than the darkness and emptiness she felt in her heart.  Soon the sun would rise, however, and soon the Light of Life would illuminate her soul.

In a sense, each of us walks a part of life's journey in the dark.  But each step of faith leads to more light, more reason to believe, greater cause to hope, until we finally find the Light of Life.  As the Psalmist said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feed, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119: 105).  

The more we yearn for the Light of Life, the more our spirits, like the flowers of spring, blossom with the fruits of faith: peace, joy, love, and hope.  without the light that shines in darkness, we could not gather "fruit unto life eternal" (John 4:36).  We could not feel the light of everlasting life.

Attempts at a Family Picture

Cute Pictures of Liam from November 2009

It's amazing how quickly he's changing!

Our Blog's First Videos

I didn't really want to start my re-entry into blogging with all of the boring catch-up posts I need to do (Christmas, etc.).  So, I give you our blog's first videos.  Liam has not been in a hurry to become mobile and I'm trying not to push him because I know I will be missing the days of his sitting captive next to me while I work soon enough.  I think his hesitancy is due in part to him having an uncanny ability to entertain himself with whatever is within hand's reach (including his other hand) and in part to his build (that's a heavy tummy to be lifting off the ground.)

Two weeks ago when Megan was here visiting, he decided to show off.  The results of this have been having to watch out for him if I back my chair up too quickly from my desk and the installation of a gate at the top of the stairs.  Today he entertained himself (and his mommy) for about twenty minutes pushing his toys through the gate.  

Enjoy the videos.  Now that I've learned how to get them on the blog, I may have to post some cute ones from the days when we had to work hard to get a smile out of Liam (eons ago, really).

So I haven't blogged much in 2010...

But, in 2010 I have:

• Watched Liam learn to (army) crawl and pull himself up;
• Watched a baby calf be born;
• Taken a photography class (if you are close to Cache Valley and are looking for one, I highly recommend Brooke);
• Since finishing the class, taken every picture in manual mode;
• Been bowling twice;
• Helped my cousin Jake with his Eagle Scout project;
• Started running (I'm doing the couch-to-5K program, but I'm calling it running);
• Registered for a triathlon (of which the 5K is part);
• Been to a baptism;
• Watched in awe as my husband takes care of me and Liam so well;
• Worked part time (trying to keep to 24 hours a week) for the University of Oregon;
• Helped Will teach 11-year old scouts a couple times (thank goodness he has a great assistant now!);
• Commuted by plane one day (to Sacramento);
• Let Liam teeth on my fingers, toes, chin, etc.;
• Taught Sunday School once and Relief Society once;
• Fixed my grandma's phones twice;
• Been skiing once;
• Attended two family funerals;
• Picked up Liam's toys approximately 275 times;
• Kept up my consulting business and even secured a new contract last week;
• Spent a weekend in Island Park; 
• Kissed Will a few times;
• Taken a month off of facebook (still easing back in);
• Had my stitches out (my finger still looks gross);
• Walked at least 20 miles pushing Liam's stroller;
• Finished all but the open dive to become SCUBA certified (the cancellation of the open dive opened up some time for this blog to be written!);
• Read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?" approximately 126 times;
• Traveled to Oregon with Liam for meetings; 
• Made a few meals (including a fabulous birthday dinner for my mom);
• Changed more diapers than I care to count;
• Filed taxes, by myself(!), for us and my business;
• Registered to vote and attended the caucus meeting;
• Purchased a baby seat for the bike and taken Liam on several bike rides;
• Lost 32 lbs;
• Taken Liam to six doctors appointments;
• Spun out and slid off the freeway (the truck and I were both okay and Liam was in the car with dad);
• Used my sewing machine and serger to make cute Valentines' outfits and a wallet for my cousin, Joe;
• Been house shopping (window shopping for now);
• Seen two bald eagles;
• Planned a bridal shower for my brother's fiancee;
• Done some laundry (but not as much as Will).

I could go on but that about sums it up.  I've been busy and pretty productive most days.  I still haven't figured out how to be a good mom and a good employee and not feel guilty about not being extraordinary at both all the time.  I'm working on it.

I'm going to start blogging again.  In order to catch up and get myself going again, I'm going to post every day in April!  I'm sure you can't wait (if you're still checking).  I may even post again before April.  Maybe.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our favorite love bug!

I do plan to return to the blogging world, soon!  I've been a little consumed with figuring out how to be a happy working mom.  I can get two out of three at any given time, but can't quite get all three.  Any insights are appreciated.

Liam's First Snow

Technically Liam experienced his first snow while we were in Alaska in September.  But, the week before Christmas he played in it for the first time.  He didn't like it very much.  However, he really enjoyed sledding behind the snowmobile and riding the snowmobile with Megan on Christmas day so I'm hopeful he's going to like the greatest snow on earth!

My excuse for taking a couple of weeks off

My first excuse was that I started spending my evening blogging time wrapping presents for my mom.  Then, on December 22nd, while trying to be crafty and make advent calendars for my siblings, I sliced a large chunk of my finger almost completely off.  Sorry for the graphic pictures.  :)

As is probably obvious, the injury affected (and continues to hamper) my typing ability.  However, it is healing and I've already lost the four stitches in the middle finger.  Mr. Pointer has three internal stitches and 14 on the outside.  Quite the holiday adventure.

Christmas updates and more frequent blogging to come in the very near future!

Them guys are done for a while.

Today in church Will and I were given new callings (assignments).  We are both going to be ward missionaries, working with children that are preparing for baptism and Will is going to be the 11-year old Scout leader.  We are excited but were hoping to last a little while longer with people thinking we were just visiting my parents and thus not needing callings. 

We are also speaking in church next Sunday. 

When the person conducting the meeting today finished announcing all of the above (as just told to me by Will because I was home being very sick), he said, "Them guys are done for a while."

Unpacked - Random Thoughts from Today

Today we took the last of the things we don't need and our empty boxes over to our storage unit.  We are officially unpacked.  We still have some organizing and putting away more nicely to do in our bedroom but Liam's room, the bathroom, my office, and my craft corner in Becca's room are looking pretty good!  It feels nice, but a little sad at the same time.

This afternoon one of our primary kids/cub scouts from Providence called.  We promised to pay them for every A they got and he got his report card today.  He was so excited to share it that the postal service would not suffice and he faxed it.  I was pretty proud of him - 3 As and 2 Bs.  He was also pretty proud of himself and wanted to know how soon he could expect his payout.  It made me smile.  He called my phone four times.  For a few minutes, I convinced myself that we really hadn't moved and would be going back.

Tomorrow morning my cousin Meisha and I are going to help Ross with some Christmas reading/art projects in his classroom.  I am excited.  I'm planning on making snow globes with them from baby food jars (more later on how Liam doesn't love store-bought baby food so I had to empty full jars into other containers and put them in the freezer to have enough jars).  I will definitely take pictures.

Really? December 16th?

I am not ready for Christmas.  We are, however, unpacked.  I need to make a run to the storage unit tomorrow to take some empty boxes and some things that we don't need right now but we are finally getting settled, thanks a lot to Will playing with Liam when he gets home so I can unpack (doing it in the day while Liam is awake is impossible and when he naps I have to get work done). 

So, now, on to Christmas.  I'm going to Ross' classroom on Friday to help with some Christmas crafts (have to love Utah where you can actually call it Christmas at school!).  We have a family party this Saturday.  I'm going to go to Megan's classroom and be an extra room mom on Tuesday.  Then, it will practically be Christmas.

Anyone have any fabulous ideas for a present for Will?  If you do, email me.  Please.

I was so looking forward to the weekend after Christmas.  Family will all be here, we can relax, etc.  Then, tonight at the ward Christmas dinner, we were asked to speak in church on the 27th. 

I need to make a list of everything I need to do in the next ten days.  And check it twice.

What a View

This is the view from our bedroom window.  It makes me happy and dulls the homesickness I've been feeling for the East Coast this week.  I especially love it when the horses are sleeping standing up next to each other. The farm pictured belongs to my grandfather and uncles and is where I watched cows calving, learned to drive a truck and a tractor, played in the haystacks and spent hours exploring and playing with my cousins.  On the far left is my grandparents' backyard.  I love being so close.