April 26, 2009 Sister’s Weekend

Dear Family and Friends,

What a great week we have had! It was fantastic! We have had so much fun, and had so much family here that I have had to pinch myself several times to make sure that it was really happening and I was not just day dreaming. Here is our week in summary…

Monday...

· L not feeling well

· B-man following E and L around

· All of us doing a little cleaning and a lot of fun visiting

· FHE where B-man taught the lesson on being helpful (M helped him a lot.)

· I had a blog meltdown. I have decided that I can no longer try to blog after 11:00 p.m. It’s like trying to discuss something serious with your spouse. It’s better done when well rested…

Tuesday…

· Do the last of the cleaning and laundry

· B-man had preschool.

· Visited an antique shop with L and E. B-man somehow managed to leave the shop without touching every single thing in the store.

· Had a fun dinner at a place called “The Spicy Pickle” and they have very spicy pickles with their sandwiches. M met us there for dinner. We had free coupons which made everything better!

· Ma went to test drive vehicles and we went to pick up M’s mother from the airport. (We brought her food too…)

Wednesday…

· B-man wanted to wake everyone up from sleeping just to be with them.

· Shopping trip for necessary food and supplies.

· Made my first batch of whole wheat bread. Mom showed me how and made it look really easy. It was delicious.

· Picked up A from the airport. Let the Sisters’ weekend begin!

· After dinner we picked up magazines and started working on a fun craft project.

· We distributed the “Favorites” gifts. I gave magnetic measuring spoons. They are fantastic! So fantastic that Mom brought the same thing… Luckily she was over doing it so she had about three other things to give us all. I love hearing why everyone chose their items; there is ALWAYS a good story.

  Thursday…

· B-man and I were up early. He went to preschool to have fun and learn.

· Everyone else got up ate breakfast, made lunch, and then we were off to D.C.

· We stopped first at the Holocaust Museum. What can I say? It is horrifying and sad, and raises all sorts of questions about what I would do if I had been in that situation. I hope I would have been one of the amazing people that helped those that were in trouble.

· In the meantime B-man and M were having fun at the library and test driving cars.

· E had been in charge of the car while we were in the museum, so when we left we walked across the mall to where she was parked and had a delightful picnic next to the car.

· Walked to the American History Museum for postcards, and to see the “Star Spangled Banner” flag.

· Had another delicious dinner and worked on our ongoing craft projects. And made another batch of bread!

· M had a Stake Priesthood training meeting.

Friday…

· Took tulips from my yard to a sister I visit teach. It was her birthday.

· Took B-man to a friend’s house so that she could watch him. M had a meeting at work and couldn’t get home until a little after lunch

· The ladies packed a lunch and then headed into D.C. again. After a short detour we made it to Arlington National Cemetery.

· Loved the beautiful weather and the walk to the “Tomb of the Unknown.”

· Got to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, and there was even a problem with the new guards gun. So he got sent back to fix it. Apparently that is rare.

· Also got to see a ceremony where they lay a new wreath of flowers on the tomb, and play “Taps.”

· Saw the grave for President Kennedy.

· Walked to the back to the Visitor’s Center for postcards and other information. Then to the car for a picnic in the car while driving.

· Drove to The Mall and found an awesome parking spot. It was such a great one!

· Walked to the Vietnam War Memorial. Loved reading the letters from students in fifth grade. They had found written a letter and poem to a fallen soldier, and then had put it on the ground where their name was inscribed on the wall.

· Continued on to the Lincoln Memorial where there were hundreds of people enjoying the view and cooler temperatures in its shade.

· Walked back to the Vietnam Memorial and then while I got the car to avoid a ticket; the rest of the group went to see the World War II Memorial.

· Managed to leave the district without a problem but got a little lost on the way to Fort Belvoir. After asking a man who spoke very little English we were able to get back on the road the right way. Somehow his directions came across. We were all amazed.

· Tried to get into Fort Belvoir through three different gates. The third time was a charm and we were allowed to enter the base.

· Drove to the hospital where M’s mother was born.

· Tried very hard to get into the PX for postcards, and then tried another spot on base without success.

· Got back in the car for the rest of the drive home. We had some great conversations in the car while doing all that driving.

· Had a late but great dinner. Worked on more magnet crafts, and went to bed.

· During this time M and B-man had a great time. They played at the park, went to a gun show where they walked for hours, and then M was asked to help give a blessing. B-man was so tired he practically collapsed into bed.

Saturday…

· Woke up early to get M’s mom and L off to the airport. It was SO sad to see them all go. It just wasn’t enough time. I think time speeds up when you want it to slow down the most.

· Took A and E garage sale hunting while M and B-man cleaned the church. We all found a few great things.

· Came home and A got ready to go. Took A to the airport with B-man and E. Once again we were sad, sad, sad to see her go.

· Spent the rest of the day trying to escape the horrific heat! (95 Degrees!) We did a few errands, and then had dinner at some friends. B-man LOVED playing in the little pool on their deck. We all loved the freezing water on our hot (and in my case swollen) feet.

· Decided a/c wasn’t optional in this weather, and turned it on.

· Transplanted a hydrangea from the front yard to the back yard. Left the hose on with a timer to automatically turn off.

· Waited up with E for my sister R to arrive! She will be working close by for the summer and we couldn’t be happier about it.

Sunday…

· B-man slept in! That meant M was almost late to his meetings. B-man is usually a great alarm clock.

· Woke up E and R to have pancakes.

· The girls left for church. Worked on my lesson.

· Went to church and enjoyed the meetings. B-man thought it was great that we had brought a woman that we see all the time in Costco. (She’s a sample lady…)

· Had twenty minutes to teach a lesson that was actually two lessons combined.

· Came home to a very empty and quiet house! That was a sad change from the last week.

· Home teacher came over. Discovered the “timer” had completely failed and the hose was still on! So much for fifteen minutes! (No damage to the yard, but we’ll see what happens to the plant.)

· Simple but tasty dinner, and then I went to a Youth Fireside at the church.

· Came home to a clean kitchen and a child in bed!

We love you all!

R, M, and B-man

April 19, 2009 It’s a Long One…

This is a small disclaimer…  After writing this week’s letter, I realized that if I had double spaced it, it was an eight page paper.  I just wanted to warn you…

April 19, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

What a fantastic week we have had! It has been simply delightful; there is no other way to explain it. We are so spoiled to have family here for so long. Monday was a slow day, B-man and I did some shopping so that E could grade papers and get some work done. That night after dinner we had FHE. It was so fun to have E here, we made her participate and it was fun just to have someone else to be involved in the process. For the lesson we discussed Christ coming to the Nephites in the Book of Mormon after His Resurrection.

Tuesday morning I had preschool at our house. B-man was so excited to have E meet all of his preschool friends. We were focusing on the lower case “a, b, and c” letters, and the color yellow. I have tried to push more of the lower case with B-man so he is doing pretty well with them, but it was slightly hilarious to see how some of the kids had NO idea what letters were in the lower case form. It was fun to feel like I was actually teaching! The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. I’m sure it was a lot of B-man following E around and making her play with him. That night M got sick with a stomach bug. The poor guy has not been sick like that around me ever in our marriage. He NEVER gets sick. I felt so bad for him! I felt even worse that I was so nervous about getting his germs that I considered sleeping in B-man’s bed. I just hate being sick anytime, but being so big (and pregnant) and sick would not be fun.

Wednesday M stayed home from work and let me take care of him. He was a very good patient and stayed up in our room for most of the day. He was feeling better, but not well enough to be around others. E, B-man, and I were going to go downtown to a T.E.A party, but with the rain and a few other issues we decided to wait and make sure that no one else was feeling sick. It rained all day and since no one else was sick so far we decided to head out to a closer T.E.A. party. E and I made fun signs that B-man then helped to color in the lettering. I was a little nervous to let him help trace the letters, but he so rarely wants to do that sort of thing that I decided I had to let him try. It worked out great in the end. After dinner we loaded up and headed to Reston for the “party”. B-man had even brought a sign that he had made himself. Our signs got lots of comments; everyone’s favorite was E’s that said “Save the Trees, Stop Printing Money!” When we got to the event we didn’t really know what to do. So we just started taking pictures of random people and making them hold our signs. We wanted to start some sort of a chant, but couldn’t think of anything catchy enough. We stayed and listened to a speaker, and then because of the rain and cold we packed up and left. We were really surprised by how many people were there, and by how different all the people were. There were only a few “crazies” in the crowd. Everyone else was just a normal person that wasn’t happy about something that the government was doing. It was a fun adventure! E dropped me off at the church for Young Women’s and then headed home. Cute M was feeling well enough to get B-man to bed and do the dishes from dinner. I felt so bad that he had been working while we were playing!

Thursday was a beautiful sunny day. Such a delight after the cold and rain we had during the first part of the week. After preschool we made sure to enjoy the warm weather by going to a park near by. B-man had a great time running around asking people to play with him. He also discovered those pokey round seed pods that fall off of trees. He and some other kids collected them all and made a big pile on my lap. It was very fun. E and I enjoyed sitting on a bench in the sun soaking up the warmth! That night after an early dinner Matthias was kind enough to let E and I go to the temple. We drove during the busiest rush hour, but we didn’t mind too much since we were together and not in a rush. The temple was wonderful, and it was great to be able to go with my sister. What a fun treat! We made it home late, and went straight to bed. M had a Presidency meeting with his counselors while we were gone. It was a much needed meeting that lasted longer than anticipated.

Friday I was up and going early to get ready to go on our fun adventure to Charlottesville, VA to see M run a half marathon. B-man helped me pack his bags. He has been talking about going to the "hotel" for more than a month.  He has even included it in a few prayers.  He has mentioned it to strangers that he is going to "go to a big hotel with Aunt E..."  He brought so much stuff. Several stuffed animals, his entire tool kit, etc… Not to mention that he wanted three bathing suits and two blankets, but I snuck in only one of each. If he likes something he wants to make sure that he has enough of it apparently! After some quick errands and tidying up M came home from work. We ate lunch, packed up the car and headed off. The weather was beautiful and we had no problems. It is only about a two hour drive to Charlottesville and we had a great time.

We were remembering that the last time we made the drive B-man had just been potty trained and so we had several unplanned pit stops on the side of the road. We first checked into our hotel early, and then headed off to get M’s race bag from the race center. All the race info was located at the start of the race in downtown Charlottesville. It was nice to see where he needed to be in the morning before we needed to be there at a certain time. We then used a little map in the race materials to find our way to Monticello. Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home) is only about twenty minutes from downtown. We first visited the brand new visitor’s center. They had a short movie and a great hands on area for kids. B-man had a blast running around touching everything, and then settled on a fantastic block set that he built with for a while. E and I played checkers, and M relaxed and took pictures in a comfy chair. We all loved the different things they had in the kids’ area; the information was perfect for adults too! Did you know that Thomas Jefferson invented a “copy machine” that he used every time he wrote a letter? He had over 9,000 copies of letters that he had written when he died. After leaving the visitor’s center we then caught a shuttle bus up to the house and grounds. He certainly built his house in a beautiful location. Right on top of a little mountain with beautiful views and trees all around. We had to wait for our tour of the house, so we spent the extra time by exploring the grounds. The tulips were all in bloom and were spectacular! The weather was amazing and we kept   commenting about how we could not have picked a better day to come. It was so wonderful! Eventually we had explored the gardens enough and went to wait for our tour of the house. B-man had a great time being outside and even adopted a little ant as his friend while we waited. After about twenty minutes we were able to tour the house. We could only tour the first floor (fire rules apparently) but it was still a treat. Thomas Jefferson certainly did love to learn, and he used all his knowledge to make his life better and easier. It was all very fascinating. I want to read a book on him now and find out more about him. After the house tour we were all wasted, but we walked anyway to the family cemetery where Thomas Jefferson is buried. We got lucky and a shuttle bus made a stop just for us to see if we wanted a ride back to the visitor’s center. We were all happy to not have to walk. B-man loved the shuttle rides the best. At least that’s what he told us. We made one quick visit to the gift shop and then we drove back to our hotel. We stopped for dinner on the way and had a fun dinner. We were all really hungry so we were easy to please… When we got back to the hotel B-man had a shower and then went to bed. Everyone was tired though, and so by a little after nine we were all in bed asleep!

Saturday morning M and I woke up early to get him to the race. Originally he thought he could just get a ride since it seemed like a waste to be there so early, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought. It worked out great though since B had woken up early (he was so excited to be in a hotel). I took B with us, and then E could sleep a little longer. We got M to the race with just enough time to do a very brief warm-up. The other great thing was that B-man and I were able to get a good parking spot very close to the start of the race. We walked to the start and found a great spot. We then waited until the start of the race and took pictures while cheering M on. It was so fun to see all those runners going. Everyone started at once and there were several thousand participating. There were only two race options, a half and a full marathon. We then went back to the hotel to eat breakfast and get E. We ate breakfast and headed back to the race. It took us a little longer than we had thought it would, but we got there and found a place to park and stand. We had been waiting for probably twenty or thirty minutes waiting for M, when I got a phone call from him at the finish line!!! I was SO SO sad. I won’t go into detail, but it may have   made me cry a little to not be there when he finished. I was so happy to have been there at the start at least. He looked so great and we were so proud of him for finishing and doing it so much faster than he thought he would. We only missed him by a few minutes. His time was 2 hours 15 minutes! He thought it would take   him well over three hours since he hadn’t been able to train as much as he wanted with the traveling and a pesky leg issue. It was so fun to be there and cheer people on. We even got to see the marathon winner cross the finish line. He was very fast! Apparently the Charlottesville course is a very well respected course in the running community. It has a lot of big killer hills. M said the course was beautiful, and that the energy at the start of the race was amazing! He also said that all of the honking and cheering really did help him. (Too bad his own wife wasn’t one of them!) After being at the finish line long enough for M to get his fill of food and water we then headed back off. We stopped first at a fun local shop that we had heard was great called “Feast.” They sold lots of fun local foods (cheese, deli meats, etc) and had so many fun things for us to look at. We all fell in love with the store. After making some fun purchases we headed back to the hotel so that M could shower and get ready. After checking out at the hotel we headed back to downtown to look at the University of Virginia campus. They have an old section that was designed by Thomas Jefferson. It was very fun to be on another campus and compare it to BYU. The campus is beautiful, but since we were all very tired from being pregnant or running thirteen miles we didn’t walk more than necessary. We stopped off at the bookstore on campus and we all found some very fun items to remember our trip by. We then started the drive back home. The drive was fast and uneventful. B-man  even fell asleep for a portion of the trip.

After we got home poor M had to cut the grass. I kept saying I could do it, but he wouldn’t let me. (Keep in mind he could barely walk after sitting in the car…) While we were doing the grass E got ready and left to spend some time with our cousin in Arlington. After finishing the yard work we then had dinner, put B-man to bed, and then stayed upstairs so we wouldn’t have to walk up and down the stairs. We had another early night, but it was a great day! It was a great weekend!

Today has been a slower day. M had meetings in the morning and I worked on my lesson. The morning went very smoothly and then we were able to get to church extra early so that M could work on some things. After a fantastic church we then came home and worked on dinner. We were happy to have E back. She and B-man played fun games while we worked on getting dinner ready. After dinner B-man went to bed, and then E and I made cookies. As I was writing this letter L arrived too! We are going to have a full fun house this week! It’s going to be great!

We love you all!

R, M, and B-man

Easter

 

We had a great Easter weekend.  It was very simple and not a lot of traditional Easter hoopla.  I feel so conflicted about Easter Bunny stuff.  My parents always did all of the Easter Bunny things on Saturday, which was great because it left Sunday for Easter.  But somehow I am still struggling with it; B-man didn’t get an Easter basket.  Don’t be too sad for him, we have all had lots of candy, and he still had a lot of fun.  I am just trying to figure out how to teach about what Easter really means while doing fun things.  The symbolism in Christmas is just so much easier for me to participate in and make spiritually fulfilling. 

We started with dyeing eggs Friday night.  Always a fun activity and I found myself wishing I had cooked more eggs because all the adults wanted to dye more than we did.

Then Saturday morning we had a small egg hunt in our house.  Later in the afternoon (after the rain had stopped) we then went to an egg hunt that was organized by some friends in our ward.

 

Sunday morning B-man woke up to a trail of pictures of the events leading up to the Resurrection.  There were little treats underneath each picture.  I then told a little bit about each picture and the story of Easter.  I have to be honest, it’s a more complex story to teach a four year old than the birth of Christ.  He is a little scared of all things death and even Heaven is upsetting to him.  He just wants to be on the Earth with us…  But I think he did absorb some of the story.

For next year this is what I would like to do.  Starting the Sunday before Easter I will take one picture at a time and focus on what happened during that day in Christ’s life.  One great thing about the Easter story is that you can really make it as simple, or as complex as you want.  It makes me excited to be able to add interesting details as B-man gets older and can understand more.  And isn’t so worried about having nails in his own hands. (He has commented twice about how he doesn’t want to have nails in his hands while we were talking about the story of the Atonement.) Of course that will all require a lot of planning, which I am not always great about. 

**Disclaimer—I have no problem with fun things spring, and I certainly think that Easter candy is the best candy.  I just don’t really see a strong tie between a bunny and the resurrection.  I know some would say that I should feel the same way about Santa Claus.  But I don’t, maybe that makes me crazy.  I also don’t care AT ALL that people do talk about and have the Easter bunny come to their house.  He’ll come to ours I am sure.  I am just trying to figure out how to get the real meaning and sacredness across about what Easter is.  Maybe I’m trying too hard.  Does any of this internal turmoil makes sense?  Coming up with holiday traditions is hard work! 

Cherry Blossoms

Saturday we went to go see

Cherry Blossoms. 

 We have lived here three springs, and have gone every year to see these trees in a neighborhood in Chevy Chase, MD where my dad grew up.  I love doing something that my dad did growing up.  Even though we are on opposite sides of the country, it makes me feel like we are closer together.  We took my sister E to see the blossoms this year.  They were just past peak blooms, but gorgeous.  There were petals everywhere and we couldn’t help but take pictures of them.  Even our shoes were covered with them when we got into the car.

B-man was feeling a little camera shy and was more interested in using his umbrella as a shield for his face and a weapon of war against the blossoms.  We were practically the only people there, and had a great time despite the cold and rain.  It’s really hard to do justice to the blossoms, but trust me they are amazing.  M was our photographer for the day, and he did a great job.

B-man wanted to run races around a “Christmas tree” (pine tree) and kept trying to climb the trees.  When we finally put him on a branch, he then was scared and wanted to come back down.  Only to ask to be put on a higher branch…  To be four years old again!

Easter Week

April 12, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

This has really been a roller coaster of a week. I have loved it though. Monday was a busy day. B-man and I waited until the late morning and then we drove two hours to pick up a dishwasher that was listed on Craigslist. It was a bit of a risk since it was so far away, and the picture was not that great, but I had talked to the man several times and he seemed very nice and honest. There was rain all during the trip, but it wasn't enough to make it dangerous. We stopped for lunch and then were able to find the seller's house. He had given excellent directions that made it easy despite the small town that it was in. It was interesting to drive south into Maryland and see some new cities. After talking to the man I paid him for the dishwasher and then he and his wife loaded it into the back of my van. I felt so bad because he was 70 and his wife was near his age, but they wouldn't let me help load the dishwasher. What's worse, a pregnant woman loading it, or an elderly man and his wife? We then turned around and drove home again. Once home we had just enough time to get organized and eat some dinner. Then that night we had a friend who came over and installed the dishwasher for us. It was so nice of him to have sacrificed his evening to help us. I LOVE the new dishwasher. It is so fun to put in dirty dishes and have them come out clean. It's like a magic trick. I could not be happier to have it! I can't believe how much cleaner our dishes are because of it. It's embarrassing that we had our old one for so long...

Tuesday was our day to try and get things ready for M to come home. We did grocery shopping and tried to work on getting the house clean. Although honestly I was just exhausted. I didn't have much energy for heavy cleaning. One of my friends did surprise me by first dropping off flowers, and then later dinner! It was such a fun thing to do. I have really been taught by the people around me on how to serve others! Wednesday was more of the same. I did manage to get enough accomplished so that I felt like I could have M come home happily. We also spent some time outside and took advantage of the good weather. B-man really likes playing outside with the friends in the neighborhood right now. Eventually we made it to four o'clock and we were able to go pick up M. We were all so happy to see him. B-man immediately started asking for his prizes, and as soon as we were home he wanted to wrestle with M. It was so nice to have him home! What a relief! Poor B-man was all wound up and had such a hard time falling asleep. It has been so interesting to see his reactions to M leaving, being gone, and then coming home.

Thursday M was back at the normal routine. I think they should give him a day to be with his family and get back to the normal life. But they don't, so we just were happy that he came home at his normal time. B-man did think he was in Mexico all day...
Friday was our preparation day for my sister coming. We also enjoyed the warm weather and spent time outside. I was able to get most of the projects crossed off my list, but luckily I knew my sister wouldn't care about the ones that I didn't have time to finish. M got home, and then we ran two quick errands before going to the airport to pick up Miss E. The timing could not have been better. She got to the curb just as we pulled up. We are SO excited to have her here to visit. B-man has been her little shadow since she came. I'm sure that soon she will get tired of it... After picker her up we came home and had a little family party. We made pizza, and then went on a bike ride. B-man took a hard spill on his bike and was sad for a bit, but thanks to a helmet and band aids he was able to be happy. After a quick bath for B-man we then dyed eggs. I think dyeing eggs is a lot of fun! We had a great time and B-man thought the whole process was great. He even liked pouring out the cups of water into the sink.

Saturday morning we woke up and B-man hunted for the eggs that had been hidden. He seemed to like the "hunt" and only needed to play "hot and cold" on a few of the eggs. After finding the eggs we then had a fun breakfast of strawberry banana pancakes (B-man's choice). The weather was really rainy, so another egg hunt with friends was postponed from the morning to the afternoon. The rest of the morning was pretty slow. In the early afternoon we packed up a lunch and drove to see the Cherry blossoms in Chevy Chase, MD. My dad had grown up very close to a neighborhood that has beautiful cherry trees. We have never made it to the tidal basin, but we have made it to this neighborhood every year that we have been here. Our first year we hit it perfectly right during peak bloom, last year we were a little early, and this year we were hitting it right at the tail end. It was still beautiful though. M took us the scenic route so we had lots of chances to see the beautiful old neighborhoods and then got a great parking spot near the trees. It was raining lightly so we took umbrellas with us to help keep us dry. B-man used his umbrella for several other purposes, one was to block his face during all attempts at an organized picture, and the other was to try and knock of blossoms. We kept trying to tell him that other people wanted to see the blossoms. Despite the rain and cold weather we had a great time. The trees are amazing, and I always love doing something that my dad did growing up. I can't help but think of him while walking around the neighborhood. After getting our fill of blossoms we drove my sister past my dad's old house and then headed home. We had just enough time at home to get B-man some new pants (his got all wet and muddy while looking at blossoms) and then we headed off for an egg hunt organized by some friends. We were two minutes late and one of the last families to arrive. At first it looked like they had started with out us and I was horrified. Last year we were on time and NO ONE else showed up for at least fifteen minutes, so I was very shocked that they would have been ready to start so early. Luckily I was wrong and they were not hunting for eggs, it was just kids scoping out the area. Once the hunt actually started it was slightly hilarious. I have no idea what B-man was looking for in an egg because he would run past about ten, pick one up, then keep running past multiple eggs to pick up another. He could have had all of his eggs in about two minutes. Instead he was one of the last kids to get their limit. I think he mostly just liked running around. Occasionally he would pick up an egg and shake it. If he didn't hear a rattle he would just throw it down and look for another egg. We had to tell him that every egg had candy inside. B-man had a lot of fun hunting for eggs, and running around with the boys. There were a lot of boys in the group... We had a fun dinner and then everyone went to bed early. We were all really tired for some reason!

Today has been a wonderful Easter. Last night as I was going to bed I set up a time line of pictures of Christ starting with "The Last Supper" and ending with His resurrection. I had put a little treat at the bottom of each picture as motivation for him to stop. I then gave a brief synopsis of each picture. Easter is a much more complicated holiday than Christmas. It's a much harder concept for a small child to understand than Christmas. I probably should have started trying to teach it much sooner than I did. After our little lesson on Easter we then had waffles. We don't normally have two big breakfasts over the weekend, but usually M has Sunday meetings, so it seemed a little strange not to take advantage of having him home. Miss E joined us for waffles and Benjamin had a lot of fun showing her the pictures on the stairs. B-man then spent the morning following Miss E around and being her shadow. M worked on things for his calling and I worked on different cooking projects. Potato casserole for dinner and egg salad sandwiches for lunch. It was a fun and productive way to start off Easter. Church was wonderful. We had a combined lesson in Young Women's and the President taught about the symbols of Easter and then tied it into what our symbols should be and the Sacrament. It was a great lesson. After church we cooked the potatoes and then headed over to a friend's house for dinner in our ward. They had invited over several other families, including one that was brand new in the ward. It was great to get to know all the families a little better.

We hope that you all have had a wonderful Easter. Trying to teach B-man about Easter has been wonderful! It's so great to try and get to the simple things of the gospel, and to then try and teach them to a child. Even if B-man doesn't get it all it certainly helps me too. I'm so grateful for the Atonement and Resurrection. They bring hope into what can be a hopeless world.

Love,
R, M, and B-man

I love Ceviche

I'm a fan of Sushi.  My parents and other family members have always enjoyed Sushi.  I enjoy eating it, depending on what type of sushi it is, but I don't like buying it.  It always seems like I'm paying a lot for such a litle amount of food.

I don't know if Ceviche counts officially as a sushi, but I really enjoy it.  I have had Ceviche a few times.  I prefer the basic Pamanaian type of Ceviche which is Sea Bass cut up in small pieces with other things added in.  I had a Peruvian style (big and chunky pieces) while in Guatemala, which I didn't enjoy as much.  To celebrate my last meal here in Panama I'm going to find a good ceviche.

B-Man's Casual Wear

B-man didn't really understand that he didn't have to wear his normal Sunday clothes today. We wanted him to still look nice. I was thinking some khaki pants and a polo shirt. B-man occasionally will choose his clothes. He knew that today was Sunday so he started finding his Sunday clothes. He pulled out his black Sunday pants and I couldn't persuade him that he didn't need to wear them. It probably didn't help that all his other pants were clean and unfolded in the laundry basket. He kept asking where his church shirt was, and for help getting it out of his closet. I kept telling him that he just needed a shirt with a collar, not a shirt with buttons. After leaving him on his own for a while, this is what he came up with. When I saw him I immediately started laughing because it was so funny. It's not exactly the casual wear that I was thinking of. After capturing it on camera I helped him choose a different polo shirt.


P.S. Can you tell he has entered the phase where he has forgotten how to smile? It is either nonexistent or way too big...

Pizza

We have developed a little tradition in our family recently. On Friday nights we have homemade pizza for dinner. It has been such a success most of the time. We have had a lot of fun experimenting with toppings. My current favorite is a pesto sauce, mozzarella, and then fresh broccoli florets. It's delicious. Usually our pizzas look something like this...

This week though there were several things that went terribly wrong. I used a different dough recipe that made more than I thought, (among other problems) and it all stuck together and then was too big for the baking stone! There I was dripping sauce, cheese, and pineapple on the oven door, and I ended up having to just fold over part of the pizza to get it to fit. It looked so ridiculous that I just had to take a picture. It tasted fine, (as long as you like a really deep crust) but the presentation grade would not have been a passing one!

April 5th, 2009

April 5, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

What a great weekend we’ve had listening to General Conference! It was wonderful, but I’ll go back to the first of the week to start. Monday was a slow day. B-man and I worked getting the house clean and organized. Then after an early dinner we went to Chucky Cheese’s for FHE. It was a fun night, and B-man had a lot of fun once again. After Chucky Cheese’s we ran in to Lowe’s to look at Dishwashers. That has been the theme of the week… Dishwashers have been my main topic of conversation and thought. It has been a frustrating experience, but I think we have found one.

Tuesday was a very slow day because preschool was cancelled. We ran some errands and managed to still stay busy. B-man has been a great little companion these last couple of weeks.

Wednesday was much of the same. We did have David, and the time seemed to fly by. This was our last time watching David for a while. His mom is having a baby any day and will be taking some time off afterwards. It will be strange to not have him around, and I think B-man will actually miss him. That night we went to a friend’s house for dinner. She was so kind and even watched B-man after dinner while I went to Young Women’s. It was very helpful not to have to take B-man with me. B-man had a great time at their house, and when I came to pick him up he was playing a tiny violin that the family has and she uses to teach her son that is B-man's age. B-man was so pleased with himself. It was very cute.

Thursday B-man had preschool. I used the time by running some errands that I know B-man doesn’t love to do. That afternoon we did more trips to various stores to look at dishwashers. B-man can now answers the salesmen when they ask what color we want. I have also been carrying around dishes, and trying the dishes in each of the dishwashers. I am sure that I am a bit of a spectacle, but I don’t want any surprises with this dishwasher. I want to be fully informed. That night we went to a friend’s house for dinner. The people here in our ward have really taken great care of us while M has been gone. It is almost embarrassing. I really am thankful to them all.

Friday didn’t have much going on. I can’t really remember much of anything. B-man had a friend over in the morning. He has been begging for people over almost everyday, and I have tried to be as accommodating as I could be. I know that night we had a family party. We made pizza and watched “Oliver and Company.”

Saturday we tried to keep very busy. We got up and going early. First we went to Home Depot. We were only going to get dirt, but we got there just as they were doing the kids’ class so we stayed and I helped B-man build a bird house that you suction up to a window so that you can see the birds inside. B-man was so excited about it and showed everyone in the store. I was just happy that I could figure it out and get it together! After the class we got our dirt and then went home. We then started work on a project in the front yard. It was a very windy day and I had to dig a two foot hole for the plant. I wasn’t really sure that I would make it to two feet, but thanks to the rain we have had this week I got pretty close. I must have been a spectacle while doing it though. Even B-man went inside because he was too cold from the wind. The wind was so strong that a couple of times it almost knocked me over! There I was in stretch pants, pregnant, and doing a whole lot of bending over and digging. (And did I mention the state of my hair? Have you seen my hair in the morning when it’s windy? Yikes…) I tried not to think of the view that my entire neighborhood had of my rear and me in general while doing the project. B-man would watch me out the front window, and periodically come out and see how close I was to being done. I did finish the project, and got everything put back together and then had just enough time to shower and get ready before Conference started. When Conference started B-man and I set up a blanket in the basement and had a picnic while watching on the internet. In between sessions we ran to a park so that B-man could get some of his wiggles out. We had just enough time to play and enjoy the sunny (and still windy) weather. We then went back home to watch the afternoon session. B-man did such a great job during Conference this year. I don’t know how much he got out of it, but I was able to listen and enjoy with him in the room… He even pretended to be watching sometimes. We had another picnic dinner during the last session and then we were off to run more errands. I had to look at more dishwashers, and we also got some bird food (per B-man'srequest) for his birdhouse.

Today has been a great day. We had a fun breakfast and a nice leisurely morning. After getting ready I worked on roll dough while we listened to the choir broadcast. We had another picnic lunch and were able to really enjoy Conference. In between sessions we went to a friend’s house. They were having another family over and invited us along. We took our rolls and headed over. She made a great dinner, and B-man had a great time with all the boys at their house. I hadn’t planned to stay for the afternoon session, but the time just worked out that we stayed. I am always a little sad to see Conference end. It is such an intense emotional thing that it is probably a good thing that we have six months to think about the talks and then prepare for the new messages.

We love you all!

R, M, and B-man

P.S. I told B-man we didn’t have to wear a button down today. (I was in a very casual skirt and shirt and I was thinking he could wear a polo shirt.) This was the outfit that he came up with. It does have a casual confidence about it.

My Soul Deligtheth

"Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard."  (2 Nephi 4:16)

A Man a Plan a Canal Panama

It was interesting to see huge cargo boats, called Panamax go through the canal.  They are starting construction on new locks at both ends of the canal, and dredging the rest of the canal, so that larger boats can go through.

This is in front of the Panama Canal at the Pedro Miguel Locks (#5 on the map above).  I was on the way to a meeting, located just North of the old US Air Foce base, and we passed by this ship on its way north towards the Caribbean.

This is what the pictures looked like today.   I'm glad that I had stopped to take pictures the day before.  I was hoping that the camera was taking good pictures, and that the LCD was going bad - but no luck.  I'm thinking that either my camera is ready to be replaced or maybe it was just too humid.  I don't really want to buy another camera right now (although I do enjoy "the hunt" for new purchases, way more than actually parting with the money) - so hopefully this camera continues working for a little longer.

I have had a very long trip in Mexico.  I have traveled all around Mexico and have one week to go before I get back to Virginia.  It's been interesting to see different parts of Mexico.

 One of the strange parts of this trip has been that I have been traveling every Sunday, so I haven't been able to go to church.  Though I havent' been to church, I have been able to go to five of the twelve temples in Mexico.  

I didn't even realize that I would be able to see so many temples on this trip until I was looking up the Mexico City Temple address.  Most of the temples in Mexico are of the smaller variety, but it was fun to be able to visit each of them and always have good conversations with the cab drivers about the temple and the church.

Mexico City Temple

The Mexico City temple was probably my favorite temple.  It took about 45 minutes to get from my hotel to the temple - and the cabbie ripped me off.  It cost me $20 to get out there and only $4 to get back.  I don't feel that bad since I can't believe that I only paid $4 for a 45 minute ride (that's with a tip).  I did get to ride back in a 1998 VW Beetle - the passenger seat removed for plenty of leg room for one person in the back. 

Mexico City turned out to be one of my least favorite cities.  I flew in and out of Mexico City eight times and the smog was hanging over the city every time.  It reminds me of Lima - now Mexico City and Lima are my two least favorite cities in Latin America.    It turns out that Mexico City is just like all other major Latin America cities - dirty!

What makes up for being in Mexico City was being in some of the other smaller cities in Mexico.  I'm sure that there are some good things about Mexico City...it's just not the airport, the city, the smog, or the traffic. 

Guadalajara Mexico Temple

Monterrey Mexico Temple

Merida Mexico Temple

Veracruz Mexico Temple

I was only a mile away from the Veracruz temple, and was able to walk there and back.   I felt like being back in the mission, got the same strange looks....just without a companion at my side.