Hello from Cincinnati!
We have had an eventful week. After my desperately stressed out e-mail last week, Mike ended up flying with us on Thursday afterall. It was really quite miraculous--he managed the day really well without too many problems. Sadly, he got sick again with something totally different once we got here and has been in bed with flu-like symptoms since Sunday. Hopefully it will go away soon--he is not having very much fun and we miss him!
A few highlights of our trip so far:
Jens went to Abbie's school on Friday. He took his lunch in a bag and ate in the cafeteria with the preschoolers. He felt very cool! We checked out Abbie's classroom after lunch, which he also loved. I think he is a little too exhuberant for school still, but he loved the "works" and tried out quite a few. I love the Montessori method, especially for the littler kids, and Jessie's school is such a nice one!
Friday night everyone else arrived and we had a nice family dinner. It is always so fun to be together. Saturday night was ribs night. Nothing beats that Montgomery Inn barbeque sauce! It is truely a Cincinnati special. Monday we went to Krohn Conservatory to see the manger scene and the holiday decorations inside. Jens loved the live animals, but was even more captivated by the beautiful model of Mt. Adams with the train running around it. He and Abbie also loved the waterfall with the tunnel. Christmas Eve we set up Jens's special present from Grammy and Papa--an electric train.
Christmas morning was very fun--we had Abbie and Jens follow strings to their big presents, which were on the front porch. Abbie got there first and was unveiling her present as Jens was coming in. He saw it and exclaimed, with great excitement and MANY exclamation points, "A dollhouse!" He was even more excited to open his caboose and uncover his train. It puffs smoke and has a whistle, which he is very enamoured with.
The kids waited patiently until almost 11 to open the rest of their presents, and Jens enjoyed every minute. He opened his stocking twice--opened it once, exclaimed over everything, then put it all back in and did it again. He was eager for everyone to open their presents and was willing to assist anyone who needed help. He was very interested in Abbie's gifts, but not in a covetous way at all--he was just excited to see what she opened. It was very sweet. He was most excited, however, when I was about to open the present he helped Mike to wrap for me. He recognized the paper and started jumping and dancing, saying "I got you something! A present!" It was Twister, which we played for a few minutes. It was nice to see him so excited to give.
The rest of the day was pretty busy, so we ended with a quiet nativity movie and A Charlie Brown Christmas. It would have been a really great day if Mike hadn't spent most of it in bed feeling so sick and if the sweet potatoes hadn't been a little too runny.
This morning Jens said "should we open presents?" But he wasn't too dissappointed when I told him there weren't any. Mom, Jessie, and I went to the art museum this afternoon, which was quiet and nice, and we went to the park afterwards with the kids, which was cold.
We are hoping Mike will get better soon so he can enjoy at least a part of our trip. Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas--I know you Bradfords are mostly all warm and toasty down south!
Love,
Alison
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
December 19th
Argh!
We are traveling tomorrow! Mike is really sick! I am freaking out! I am actually well on my way to being packed, but Mike being sick is throwing a bit of a loop in our plans. He is going to the doctor at 3, but we don't know if he is going to be able to travel tomorrow, which means I might be going by myself with Jens, and we would get him a ticket to come later, and I have to pick up the rental car by myself tonight and AHH!
This week has been busy and sicky, but some parts have been fun. After a shut in day on Thursday where Jens and I did a lot of resting, we both felt perked up quite a bit. Friday night we went out to eat with Natalie and JP, then to the ward Christmas party. Jens wet through his diaper and soaked his pants, and of course I didn't have any extra, so he ran around in a diaper the whole time. It was actually a very nice party--low key, but the decorations were beautiful. The program was 5 minutes long, (just right) we sang some Christmas carols, and someone read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to the kids. Jens ate more candy in one sitting then he has ever had and enjoyed it immensely.
Saturday Mike and I went on a date. We saw "Enchanted," which was very fun and clever. We both enjoyed it more than we thought we would, although the songs have an irritating way of popping back into your head.
This week we have done the normal play date things, except that Mike has been sick since Sunday. Pray for a healing miracle, folks, because I don't think I can survive tomorrow on my own!
I got my haircut today. It was a positive experience. Yay!
Hope you all are doing festive, holiday things. I am excited to see many of you soon, assuming that we live through tomorrow!
Love,
Alison
We are traveling tomorrow! Mike is really sick! I am freaking out! I am actually well on my way to being packed, but Mike being sick is throwing a bit of a loop in our plans. He is going to the doctor at 3, but we don't know if he is going to be able to travel tomorrow, which means I might be going by myself with Jens, and we would get him a ticket to come later, and I have to pick up the rental car by myself tonight and AHH!
This week has been busy and sicky, but some parts have been fun. After a shut in day on Thursday where Jens and I did a lot of resting, we both felt perked up quite a bit. Friday night we went out to eat with Natalie and JP, then to the ward Christmas party. Jens wet through his diaper and soaked his pants, and of course I didn't have any extra, so he ran around in a diaper the whole time. It was actually a very nice party--low key, but the decorations were beautiful. The program was 5 minutes long, (just right) we sang some Christmas carols, and someone read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to the kids. Jens ate more candy in one sitting then he has ever had and enjoyed it immensely.
Saturday Mike and I went on a date. We saw "Enchanted," which was very fun and clever. We both enjoyed it more than we thought we would, although the songs have an irritating way of popping back into your head.
This week we have done the normal play date things, except that Mike has been sick since Sunday. Pray for a healing miracle, folks, because I don't think I can survive tomorrow on my own!
I got my haircut today. It was a positive experience. Yay!
Hope you all are doing festive, holiday things. I am excited to see many of you soon, assuming that we live through tomorrow!
Love,
Alison
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Visiting Santa at Intel. We pulled up and Jens said "We're visiting Santa at work!"
Hi Everyone.
We are all sick at our house again, but that didn't stop us from going to see Santa on Saturday! Intel does a nice family thing every year. This year was quite well organized--they had a craft fair with booths, food vendors, and a movie room while you were waiting for your turn to see Santa. And when you come in they give each child a little bag of snacks and crafts to do. We had some friends who were there, so we sat together and were social for a while. Jens got real quiet and I could tell he wasn't feeling so hot, so while Mike waited in line for Santa, he and I sat and watched one of those awesome retro clay-mation movies. Jens was excited to see Santa and kept trying to walk up to him before it was his turn. When it was finally his turn, he ran up and sat next to him, but then he wasn't too sure that it was a good idea. Santa asked Jens if he wanted a train for Christmas, which Jens thought was a wonderful idea.
Saturday night Mike went to a nerd I mean Land Party, where everyone had a computer, they networked them together, had pizza and played computer games. Needless to say, Jens and I were not interested in attending, so we went to Ikea with Natalie and another one of the wives. They had lots of fun and Ikea was fun for us--lots of new things to look at and Jens had a blast running around and climbing on everything. He especially liked trying out all of the beds.
Sunday we had a games night with the Harrisons and the Littles. The kids just ran around and we played a game. It was fun. I made caramel corn and ate WAY too much!
This week has been pretty typical except we didn't go to storytime due to Jens's coughing and tantrummy behavior. He had a little friend over in the afternoon, which he enjoyed, and I did too, because if he pushed her she pushed him back instead of whining about it. He needs a few more friends like that, who will put him in his place and let him know that pushing doesn't feel nice! Also the missionaries came over last night, an answer to Jens's many prayers. He also prayed last night that the prophet will come over, but I don't forsee that happening any time soon.
I did manage to 'finish' the cook book this week, although as soon as I printed my copy out, Mom sent me a new recipe and I tried a new recipe that was good enough to add. I guess it will always be a work in progress. I also did our Christmas cards, although I managed to lose a book of stamps, so I have two cards left that need to be sent and my stamps are nowhere to be found.
I hope you all are having a good week and are enjoying the holiday season! See many of you soon!
Love,
Alison
PS--I finally understand why people get those big blow up lawn ornaments. I have never been a big fan, but Jens LOVES THEM.
PSS--Yesterday Jens and I stopped at Target and I took him back to see all of the holiday decorations, which he normally likes. As we were leaving the holiday section to go check out, he looked at me and said, 'Mom, I want the scary Halloween decorations.' I guess Halloween made a big impact this year.
Hi Everyone.
We are all sick at our house again, but that didn't stop us from going to see Santa on Saturday! Intel does a nice family thing every year. This year was quite well organized--they had a craft fair with booths, food vendors, and a movie room while you were waiting for your turn to see Santa. And when you come in they give each child a little bag of snacks and crafts to do. We had some friends who were there, so we sat together and were social for a while. Jens got real quiet and I could tell he wasn't feeling so hot, so while Mike waited in line for Santa, he and I sat and watched one of those awesome retro clay-mation movies. Jens was excited to see Santa and kept trying to walk up to him before it was his turn. When it was finally his turn, he ran up and sat next to him, but then he wasn't too sure that it was a good idea. Santa asked Jens if he wanted a train for Christmas, which Jens thought was a wonderful idea.
Saturday night Mike went to a nerd I mean Land Party, where everyone had a computer, they networked them together, had pizza and played computer games. Needless to say, Jens and I were not interested in attending, so we went to Ikea with Natalie and another one of the wives. They had lots of fun and Ikea was fun for us--lots of new things to look at and Jens had a blast running around and climbing on everything. He especially liked trying out all of the beds.
Sunday we had a games night with the Harrisons and the Littles. The kids just ran around and we played a game. It was fun. I made caramel corn and ate WAY too much!
This week has been pretty typical except we didn't go to storytime due to Jens's coughing and tantrummy behavior. He had a little friend over in the afternoon, which he enjoyed, and I did too, because if he pushed her she pushed him back instead of whining about it. He needs a few more friends like that, who will put him in his place and let him know that pushing doesn't feel nice! Also the missionaries came over last night, an answer to Jens's many prayers. He also prayed last night that the prophet will come over, but I don't forsee that happening any time soon.
I did manage to 'finish' the cook book this week, although as soon as I printed my copy out, Mom sent me a new recipe and I tried a new recipe that was good enough to add. I guess it will always be a work in progress. I also did our Christmas cards, although I managed to lose a book of stamps, so I have two cards left that need to be sent and my stamps are nowhere to be found.
I hope you all are having a good week and are enjoying the holiday season! See many of you soon!
Love,
Alison
PS--I finally understand why people get those big blow up lawn ornaments. I have never been a big fan, but Jens LOVES THEM.
PSS--Yesterday Jens and I stopped at Target and I took him back to see all of the holiday decorations, which he normally likes. As we were leaving the holiday section to go check out, he looked at me and said, 'Mom, I want the scary Halloween decorations.' I guess Halloween made a big impact this year.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
December 5th
Jens got some new big boy pants this week. They are pretty funny. Too bad he is more interested in looking at his belly than in going potty.
Hi Everyone.
It has been a quiet week. At least, I have been quiet. I guess Jens is never really quiet for long! I have mostly been trying to get better. This cold has been hanging on long and hard. A lot of coughing is involved, which is very unpleasant.
I went to the Farmer's Market Saturday and got all sorts of delicious food. It was really cold, but worth it. The seedless mandrines are on right now. They practically fall out of their peels, and the are so sweet and good. I am tasting a bunch of new recipes for the new version of the family cookbook, so we are doing some adventurous eating around here. Last night we had Pav Bhaji (Pow Bajee), which is an Indian recipe Mike got from a friend at work. It was VERY VERY spicy, but also very good and good for you. I never thought the day would come when Mike would request a recipe that is vegetarian with lots of vegetables. Also today I am making yogurt. I have never done it before, but it sounds really easy. We'll see if it turns out, I guess!
Sunday we had dinner at the Littles' house. It was fun and Jens had a good time playing with Cassie. I just wish he was a little nicer and listened a little better. Monday he spent the morning with Sarah while I did visiting teaching and bought him a whole new winter wardrobe. He has suddenly grown out of half of his 2T pants, and half of his 2T shirts have turned into belly shirts. I figured he needed some warm clothes for Ohio. It was lovely to shop without him. On the way home I asked him if he had fun and he said yes. Then I asked if he was nice and shared and he said no, that he pushed Sarah and made her cry. At least he is honest, I guess, but I don't know how to get him to play more nicely!
He is cute sometimes, though. He is very insistent about saying every prayer at every meal, and they all go the same way. He has been doing lots of pretending, and yesterday he found the front end loader that Papa gave him last year for the flight home from Florida. It has been missing for a couple of months, and he was SO excited it turned up. He has been carrying it everywhere he goes.
I have been workingon finishing Christmas projects. The Helquist Family Calendar is almost done, and so (I think) is Cookbook 2.0 (unless Loren wants to send me a recipe to put in). Now for the Thomas Calendar and getting finished with presents, and Christmas cards. And I should probably clean the house, too.
Hope you all are having a happy week.
Hi Everyone.
It has been a quiet week. At least, I have been quiet. I guess Jens is never really quiet for long! I have mostly been trying to get better. This cold has been hanging on long and hard. A lot of coughing is involved, which is very unpleasant.
I went to the Farmer's Market Saturday and got all sorts of delicious food. It was really cold, but worth it. The seedless mandrines are on right now. They practically fall out of their peels, and the are so sweet and good. I am tasting a bunch of new recipes for the new version of the family cookbook, so we are doing some adventurous eating around here. Last night we had Pav Bhaji (Pow Bajee), which is an Indian recipe Mike got from a friend at work. It was VERY VERY spicy, but also very good and good for you. I never thought the day would come when Mike would request a recipe that is vegetarian with lots of vegetables. Also today I am making yogurt. I have never done it before, but it sounds really easy. We'll see if it turns out, I guess!
Sunday we had dinner at the Littles' house. It was fun and Jens had a good time playing with Cassie. I just wish he was a little nicer and listened a little better. Monday he spent the morning with Sarah while I did visiting teaching and bought him a whole new winter wardrobe. He has suddenly grown out of half of his 2T pants, and half of his 2T shirts have turned into belly shirts. I figured he needed some warm clothes for Ohio. It was lovely to shop without him. On the way home I asked him if he had fun and he said yes. Then I asked if he was nice and shared and he said no, that he pushed Sarah and made her cry. At least he is honest, I guess, but I don't know how to get him to play more nicely!
He is cute sometimes, though. He is very insistent about saying every prayer at every meal, and they all go the same way. He has been doing lots of pretending, and yesterday he found the front end loader that Papa gave him last year for the flight home from Florida. It has been missing for a couple of months, and he was SO excited it turned up. He has been carrying it everywhere he goes.
I have been workingon finishing Christmas projects. The Helquist Family Calendar is almost done, and so (I think) is Cookbook 2.0 (unless Loren wants to send me a recipe to put in). Now for the Thomas Calendar and getting finished with presents, and Christmas cards. And I should probably clean the house, too.
Hope you all are having a happy week.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Cheese Making
Well, this is my latest cooking exploit. It was pretty cool. Jens was a great helper. (He is saying cheese in the picture).
First you add citric acid to your milk and heat it to 88 degrees.
Then you add the rennet and let it set the curd for 5 minutes.
My curd didn't form very well, but we kept going. I drained it using cheesecloth and heated it up in the microwave.
Then I stretched it like taffy. I was VERY excited that it was working!
I formed it into balls and put it in cold water to set up.
It actually looks like cheese . . .
Jens liked it! As you can see, it left my kitchen in total shambles, but that is partly because I was also trying out a bread recipe today (WHITE whole wheat bread) and Jens got bored with the cheese thing and decided to help me "wash" dishes, which is why he isn't wearing clothes and there are towels on the floor. At least he had fun, right?
In case you all are wondering where the idea to even do this came from, I read about it in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I ordered the kit from cheesemaking.com, and it tastes very good. I will try it again! I also have a recipe for my own ricotta. I'll let you know when I try that one.
First you add citric acid to your milk and heat it to 88 degrees.
Then you add the rennet and let it set the curd for 5 minutes.
My curd didn't form very well, but we kept going. I drained it using cheesecloth and heated it up in the microwave.
Then I stretched it like taffy. I was VERY excited that it was working!
I formed it into balls and put it in cold water to set up.
It actually looks like cheese . . .
Jens liked it! As you can see, it left my kitchen in total shambles, but that is partly because I was also trying out a bread recipe today (WHITE whole wheat bread) and Jens got bored with the cheese thing and decided to help me "wash" dishes, which is why he isn't wearing clothes and there are towels on the floor. At least he had fun, right?
In case you all are wondering where the idea to even do this came from, I read about it in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I ordered the kit from cheesemaking.com, and it tastes very good. I will try it again! I also have a recipe for my own ricotta. I'll let you know when I try that one.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
November 29th
The pictures are:
Jens with his Thanksgiving finger puppets
Our festive and personalized napkin rings
Jens watching Granpa's train (2)
Hi Everyone.
We enjoyed a very nice Thanksgiving in Utah. We saw everyone we wanted to see and got lots of face time with family. We also ate a lot of treats and had a delicious dinner. I even made scalloped corn. Why is that so good? Is it the crackers? I look at the recipe and wonder sometimes why we all like it so much.
Friday Mike and I escaped the little one and went up to BYU campus hoping to see the inside of the new Alumni building, but it was locked up. So we wandered around the WILK and felt old and bought Mike some new pens.
Saturday was the BYU vs. Utah game AND the UF/FSU game, so mostly we vegged out. The drive home Sunday was not one of our better ones. Jens spent at least two hours screaming and whining 'Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!' And when I would turn around and ask him what he needed he wouldn't say anything, but as soon as I turned around he started screaming again. It was exhausting. We made great time, though, because we really only stopped once. Usually on the way home we stop in Elko and Reno, but Jens was fast asleep when we got to Elko, and still asleep when we passed Carlin, so we ended up just stopping in Winnemuca. We did have to make a short stop just at a pull off because Jens was screaming 'I have to poop!' in the backseat, but we only stopped long enough to change him.
We were happy to finally get home, and Jens was happy as could be to see all of his toys, which suddenly all seem new. On Tuesday when he woke up from his nap, though, he said as soon as I went in 'I want to see Grandpa's train and go to Grandma's house.' I told him it ws too far away.
Jens is suddenly looking and acting very grown up to me. It seems like he is suddenly a boy! We got out our Christmas decorations when we got home and I have a little stuffed snowman that he took an immediate liking to. On Tuesday he was carrying it around and pushing it in his shopping cart (sitting in the baby part, not thrown in the basket) and was changing 'her' diaper.
Yesterday we met Kristin and Matisyn Johnson at the Train Museum. The kids had a great time, and afterwards they came over and stayed until after dinner. It was so nice to see them and pretend that we lived close together! Mati and Jens had a good time, although there was plenty of grabbing and tusseling for toys.
Last news, I have been sick all week and feel crummy. Every night I think that I must be getting better, but every morning I wake up feeling worse than before. I am not going to excercise today and see if that helps me perk up. I'll send a couple of pictures from Thanksgiving, but we hardly have any!
Love,
Alison
Jens with his Thanksgiving finger puppets
Our festive and personalized napkin rings
Jens watching Granpa's train (2)
Hi Everyone.
We enjoyed a very nice Thanksgiving in Utah. We saw everyone we wanted to see and got lots of face time with family. We also ate a lot of treats and had a delicious dinner. I even made scalloped corn. Why is that so good? Is it the crackers? I look at the recipe and wonder sometimes why we all like it so much.
Friday Mike and I escaped the little one and went up to BYU campus hoping to see the inside of the new Alumni building, but it was locked up. So we wandered around the WILK and felt old and bought Mike some new pens.
Saturday was the BYU vs. Utah game AND the UF/FSU game, so mostly we vegged out. The drive home Sunday was not one of our better ones. Jens spent at least two hours screaming and whining 'Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!' And when I would turn around and ask him what he needed he wouldn't say anything, but as soon as I turned around he started screaming again. It was exhausting. We made great time, though, because we really only stopped once. Usually on the way home we stop in Elko and Reno, but Jens was fast asleep when we got to Elko, and still asleep when we passed Carlin, so we ended up just stopping in Winnemuca. We did have to make a short stop just at a pull off because Jens was screaming 'I have to poop!' in the backseat, but we only stopped long enough to change him.
We were happy to finally get home, and Jens was happy as could be to see all of his toys, which suddenly all seem new. On Tuesday when he woke up from his nap, though, he said as soon as I went in 'I want to see Grandpa's train and go to Grandma's house.' I told him it ws too far away.
Jens is suddenly looking and acting very grown up to me. It seems like he is suddenly a boy! We got out our Christmas decorations when we got home and I have a little stuffed snowman that he took an immediate liking to. On Tuesday he was carrying it around and pushing it in his shopping cart (sitting in the baby part, not thrown in the basket) and was changing 'her' diaper.
Yesterday we met Kristin and Matisyn Johnson at the Train Museum. The kids had a great time, and afterwards they came over and stayed until after dinner. It was so nice to see them and pretend that we lived close together! Mati and Jens had a good time, although there was plenty of grabbing and tusseling for toys.
Last news, I have been sick all week and feel crummy. Every night I think that I must be getting better, but every morning I wake up feeling worse than before. I am not going to excercise today and see if that helps me perk up. I'll send a couple of pictures from Thanksgiving, but we hardly have any!
Love,
Alison
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
I just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It was a fascinating read--not a novel! But a year long account of her family's attempt to live "locally." They grew as much of their own food as possible and bought all the rest locally through neighboring farms and farmers markets. The point of the book, she said, was to encourage us to think about where our food comes from and be responsible consumers. She made a very good case and I am hoping that I will be able to follow her advice, at least a little bit. I probably won't raise my own turkeys and chickens or grow 400 pounds of tomatoes or anything, but we certainly have good farmer's markets in California. The other big case she made was for eating free range meat. She was very factual about commercially raised meat and now I feel really guilty and kind of grossed out about eating it. It wasn't a fast kind of read, but it was very interesting and really made me think. I enjoyed it.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
November 21st
Hi Everyone.
We are in freezing cold Utah! We left early on Friday which means I spent Thursday packing and getting ready. Jens had a friend over, so they played happily and I was able to get a little bit done!
The drive was pretty unremarkable. Our car was comfortable and felt safe. We got 30 mpg over the mountains, which I don't think has ever happened before, so that was nice. Jens did pretty well overall, although he did kind of a funny nap thing. (one at 9 am and one at 5:30) He loved his little video player. It was definitely a wise move! I am picturing that it will be perfect for the plane ride a t Christmas. This was the first trip where I've felt like Jens has understood the concept of the trip. He knew we were coming to Grandma and Grandpa's house, which made the drive more worthwhile for him. He didn't cry when he had to get back into the car after a stop--he would climb in saying "We're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house!" So that was nice. He was very excited to get here and immediately got out toys. He knew exactly where they were and what he wanted to play with.
Since then we have been doing our usual Utah thing--seeing friends and family and eating way too much. We ate at Los Hermanos last night, which is always a favorite thing to do. Loren is coming down tonight, so we are looking forward to seeing him. I am sure Jens will be very excited.
We are looking forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow--it is such a delicious holiday. I am making corn, of course, and Loren is making cranberries. I am making Brenda's sweet potatoes on Friday to go with ham and leftovers. Yum.
I am thankful for all of my family and friends. I really am blessed in that regard--I like you all so much! Have a wonderful holiday wherever you are tomorrow. Or, in Brenda and Dale's case, have a good regular day tomorrow.
Love,
Alison
We are in freezing cold Utah! We left early on Friday which means I spent Thursday packing and getting ready. Jens had a friend over, so they played happily and I was able to get a little bit done!
The drive was pretty unremarkable. Our car was comfortable and felt safe. We got 30 mpg over the mountains, which I don't think has ever happened before, so that was nice. Jens did pretty well overall, although he did kind of a funny nap thing. (one at 9 am and one at 5:30) He loved his little video player. It was definitely a wise move! I am picturing that it will be perfect for the plane ride a t Christmas. This was the first trip where I've felt like Jens has understood the concept of the trip. He knew we were coming to Grandma and Grandpa's house, which made the drive more worthwhile for him. He didn't cry when he had to get back into the car after a stop--he would climb in saying "We're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house!" So that was nice. He was very excited to get here and immediately got out toys. He knew exactly where they were and what he wanted to play with.
Since then we have been doing our usual Utah thing--seeing friends and family and eating way too much. We ate at Los Hermanos last night, which is always a favorite thing to do. Loren is coming down tonight, so we are looking forward to seeing him. I am sure Jens will be very excited.
We are looking forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow--it is such a delicious holiday. I am making corn, of course, and Loren is making cranberries. I am making Brenda's sweet potatoes on Friday to go with ham and leftovers. Yum.
I am thankful for all of my family and friends. I really am blessed in that regard--I like you all so much! Have a wonderful holiday wherever you are tomorrow. Or, in Brenda and Dale's case, have a good regular day tomorrow.
Love,
Alison
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
November 14th
Hi Everyone.
It has been a busy week! Thursday, of course, we dropped Jens off at the Littles' house and went car shopping. I couldn't believe how long it took! We got to the dealership at 9 and didn't leave until 12:45. We went planning on buying a used Camry and ended up leaving with a new one. It had 5 miles on it when we left the lot. Now it has 130. We are excited to have it and know that it will be dependable, and, well, if it isn't, it has a great warranty. It feels comfortable to drive because it is so much like our old one (but a lot better) and we really like the new body style, which we weren't sure of when we bought it. Tomorrow it is going back to the dealership to get an alarm system and tinting on the back windows for our kid who hates the sun in his eyes. And in case you are wondering, the dealer wasn't feeling all that generous with trade in values, but we took what they offered because we didn't want to sell the falling apart Camry ourselves.
Also on Thursday we had the missionaries for dinner. Every night in his prayers Jens blesses the missionaries to come over, so I always sign up when I actually see the feed the missionaries calendar. We also went to the Harrisons' house to babysit. Jens loves their kids, and all the kids had a great time playing with Mike.
Saturday we tried a new restaurant here, Pei Wei's, which is like PF Changs, but less fancy and less expensive. Also, I got new running shoes on Saturday night. I noticed last weekend that I had worn the whole sole off my last pair in 6 months. I am getting used to my new shoes--they have so much support under the ball of my foot! They are better looking, too--light blue accents instead of hot pink.
Sunday I was in charge of sharing time. It is so hard to plan activities for Jr. sharing time that will keep the kids attention the whole time. They were all really attentive during the discussion at the beginning, but once we did the activity, (sort of a puzzle thing) they got loud. Oh well. I don't have to do another one until next year sometime. Sunday night at about 1 am, Jens started crying this sad sad cry. I ran into his room and he looked up at me tearfully and said "Mommy, I have boogers." I wiped his nose and he went back to sleep, but woke up feeling pretty cruddy Monday morning. He takes colds pretty seriously! It is so tricky when they are so little because really, what they need to do is lie down and rest, but Jens is so busy he can't slow down. So. Monday morning I strapped him into the stroller and we went to the Veteran's Day Parade. It consisted of 3 fire trucks, one band, 50 or so veterans (these interesting things were all at the beginning) and was followed by a million cub and girl scouts, people walking their dogs, and some cheerleaders. It lasted for almost an hour and Jens was as happy as could be. Then we went for our normal morning walk, so he had lots of good stroller resting time.
Sadly, it didn't help him feel better and yesterday he was even worse. I had to run errands, so I was carrying him everywhere and he sounded like he was going to hack up a lung. He felt so bad that he lay his head on my shoulder to rest the whole time we were at the post office. So we hung out around home the rest of the day.
Today he woke up (at 6:30) wild and hyper and out of control, yelling at the top of his lungs. He doesn't seem to have a low volume, or even a normal one for that matter. He talked loudly and non-stop for our whole walk. Now he is being cranky and whiney and hitting a lot. It is going to be a fun day.
We head for Utah on Friday--we are excited to see everyone, although we are not looking forward to the drive. We got a tiny media player for Jens to watch movies on. As he doesn't watch tv or movies all that often, we are hoping the novelty will keep him entertained for a little while.
Have a happy week, everyone!
Love,
Alison
It has been a busy week! Thursday, of course, we dropped Jens off at the Littles' house and went car shopping. I couldn't believe how long it took! We got to the dealership at 9 and didn't leave until 12:45. We went planning on buying a used Camry and ended up leaving with a new one. It had 5 miles on it when we left the lot. Now it has 130. We are excited to have it and know that it will be dependable, and, well, if it isn't, it has a great warranty. It feels comfortable to drive because it is so much like our old one (but a lot better) and we really like the new body style, which we weren't sure of when we bought it. Tomorrow it is going back to the dealership to get an alarm system and tinting on the back windows for our kid who hates the sun in his eyes. And in case you are wondering, the dealer wasn't feeling all that generous with trade in values, but we took what they offered because we didn't want to sell the falling apart Camry ourselves.
Also on Thursday we had the missionaries for dinner. Every night in his prayers Jens blesses the missionaries to come over, so I always sign up when I actually see the feed the missionaries calendar. We also went to the Harrisons' house to babysit. Jens loves their kids, and all the kids had a great time playing with Mike.
Saturday we tried a new restaurant here, Pei Wei's, which is like PF Changs, but less fancy and less expensive. Also, I got new running shoes on Saturday night. I noticed last weekend that I had worn the whole sole off my last pair in 6 months. I am getting used to my new shoes--they have so much support under the ball of my foot! They are better looking, too--light blue accents instead of hot pink.
Sunday I was in charge of sharing time. It is so hard to plan activities for Jr. sharing time that will keep the kids attention the whole time. They were all really attentive during the discussion at the beginning, but once we did the activity, (sort of a puzzle thing) they got loud. Oh well. I don't have to do another one until next year sometime. Sunday night at about 1 am, Jens started crying this sad sad cry. I ran into his room and he looked up at me tearfully and said "Mommy, I have boogers." I wiped his nose and he went back to sleep, but woke up feeling pretty cruddy Monday morning. He takes colds pretty seriously! It is so tricky when they are so little because really, what they need to do is lie down and rest, but Jens is so busy he can't slow down. So. Monday morning I strapped him into the stroller and we went to the Veteran's Day Parade. It consisted of 3 fire trucks, one band, 50 or so veterans (these interesting things were all at the beginning) and was followed by a million cub and girl scouts, people walking their dogs, and some cheerleaders. It lasted for almost an hour and Jens was as happy as could be. Then we went for our normal morning walk, so he had lots of good stroller resting time.
Sadly, it didn't help him feel better and yesterday he was even worse. I had to run errands, so I was carrying him everywhere and he sounded like he was going to hack up a lung. He felt so bad that he lay his head on my shoulder to rest the whole time we were at the post office. So we hung out around home the rest of the day.
Today he woke up (at 6:30) wild and hyper and out of control, yelling at the top of his lungs. He doesn't seem to have a low volume, or even a normal one for that matter. He talked loudly and non-stop for our whole walk. Now he is being cranky and whiney and hitting a lot. It is going to be a fun day.
We head for Utah on Friday--we are excited to see everyone, although we are not looking forward to the drive. We got a tiny media player for Jens to watch movies on. As he doesn't watch tv or movies all that often, we are hoping the novelty will keep him entertained for a little while.
Have a happy week, everyone!
Love,
Alison
Saturday, November 10, 2007
videos!
Here is a video of us at the Sea Ranch and another of Jens reading to his vacuum. enjoy
Sea Ranch
Reading to vacuum
Sea Ranch
Reading to vacuum
Thursday, November 8, 2007
New Car
Well, we finally did it. We traded in our old, tired Camry for a brand new, very shiny Camry. We are very boring--it is even the same color as our old one. We didn't think we would ever have a new car, but we do and it is very clean and nice!
Good bye, old girl, you took us many wonderful places!
Good bye, old girl, you took us many wonderful places!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
November 7th
A beautiful sunset!
Hi Everyone,
We had a lovely vacation at The Sea Ranch. It was just as beautiful as we remembered it and the weather was even better than when we went in August. It was sunny and warm all three days, totally cloudless for good star viewing, and the house we were in was very clean. We got in Thursday afternoon and got to the shore in time for sunset. Friday and Saturday we went to the beach, took naps, and walked down to the bluff trail to watch the sunset. Our friends the Littles came on Friday night, so we played games and had popcorn after the kids went to bed. Jens had a great time--he loved playing with Cassie. We got home Sunday afternoon and felt very rested. So rested, in fact, that we haven't quite finished unpacking and cleaning up. That is the one problem with going somewhere, I guess.
In sad news, the trip spelled the death knoll for the Camry. Something happened to the transmission on Route 1--it doesn't want to downshift into second, so whenever you slow down to turn a corner, stop at a light, etc, it feels like the car is going to stall. As we just had the transmission rebuilt last August, and that was the second time we have done so since owning this car, we have decided it is time to let it go. We are buying a new car tomorrow. Cross your fingers for us that the dealer will feel like giving us a great buy and that they will be feeling extra generous with trade-in values.
The rest of the week has been pretty average, except that I am off sugar again until we go to Utah for Thanksgiving. Halloween was not good for me, so I am taking a little rest.
There are lots of pictures posted at helquist.com of our vacation: http://helquist.com/gallery/album29
I will send one along just to show you how pretty it was, plus a family picture and a picture of Jens's cranky sad face. It is pretty heart rending.
Have a good week.
Love,Alison
Hi Everyone,
We had a lovely vacation at The Sea Ranch. It was just as beautiful as we remembered it and the weather was even better than when we went in August. It was sunny and warm all three days, totally cloudless for good star viewing, and the house we were in was very clean. We got in Thursday afternoon and got to the shore in time for sunset. Friday and Saturday we went to the beach, took naps, and walked down to the bluff trail to watch the sunset. Our friends the Littles came on Friday night, so we played games and had popcorn after the kids went to bed. Jens had a great time--he loved playing with Cassie. We got home Sunday afternoon and felt very rested. So rested, in fact, that we haven't quite finished unpacking and cleaning up. That is the one problem with going somewhere, I guess.
In sad news, the trip spelled the death knoll for the Camry. Something happened to the transmission on Route 1--it doesn't want to downshift into second, so whenever you slow down to turn a corner, stop at a light, etc, it feels like the car is going to stall. As we just had the transmission rebuilt last August, and that was the second time we have done so since owning this car, we have decided it is time to let it go. We are buying a new car tomorrow. Cross your fingers for us that the dealer will feel like giving us a great buy and that they will be feeling extra generous with trade-in values.
The rest of the week has been pretty average, except that I am off sugar again until we go to Utah for Thanksgiving. Halloween was not good for me, so I am taking a little rest.
There are lots of pictures posted at helquist.com of our vacation: http://helquist.com/gallery/album29
I will send one along just to show you how pretty it was, plus a family picture and a picture of Jens's cranky sad face. It is pretty heart rending.
Have a good week.
Love,Alison
Monday, November 5, 2007
October 31st
Our little chicken with his friend, Snow White (aka Cassie)
Happy Halloween!
Our little trick or treater is actually very excited this year, and looks very cute as a chicken. He melts hearts wherever he goes and people keep trying to give him more than one piece of candy. I keep saying, "No--really! One is plenty!"
This week has been busy. We have been planning our Sea Ranch vacation, which we go on tomorrow! We invited another family to come with us--I have mentioned them before, the Littles. They have a little girl, Cassie, who plays with Jens pretty well. We are looking forward to it.
Last week I went to my last watercolor class for a while. I am missing the official last class tomorrow, but the teacher said that I could go to a different class session and make it up. I have been enjoying it so much. I really forget sometimes how much I enjoy artwork! I keep thinking I should get my teaching certification in art so that if I want to go back to teaching sometime I could be an art teacher.
Friday our ward had trunk or treat. We took chili, which I tried to make a little spicier than usual. Jens had a great time running around and mastered the art of saying "trick or treat." It all ended sadly, however, when he broke open one of those glow sticks and got the stuff in his eyes. I had to flush his eyes with water, which I can assure you, he did not like at all. Fortunately, he got to try out his first ever sucker on the way home, which cheered him up considerably.
Sunday night we carved pumpkins with Natalie, which is fast becoming a tradition! JP missed out this year, so no intel pumpkin, but Natalie and I both carved cute ones, and Jens painted his pumpkin, which turned out cute. Mike painted a little face on one side, which Jens embellished upon by adding eyebrows. (He announced this as he was painting them on--"Look! Eyebrows!" and we all thought it was very cute.)
Monday Jens spent the morning at the Harrisons' house, something I think we are going to do every Monday. He is going through a rather difficult time which makes me feel like tearing my hair out sometimes, so since I watch Sarah on Wednesdays, Michelle Harrison is going to take Jens on Mondays. I am very happy about this arrangement and enjoyed the peaceful morning. He didn't want to get out of the car when Michelle brought him home, which makes me think he had a good time, too. I guess sometimes we both enjoy a break from each other.
Yesterday was our usual except that Jens played in our bathroom (a big no no) and turned my blush into a fine powder that covered everything.
Today we took Jens to the doctor because he has been having prolonged "tummy problems" for the past month or so. The doctor took him off the BRAT diet which he has been doing on and off for the past week and told us he can go back to regular milk instead of rice milk, which he drinks but doesn't love. Tonight he had chili, milk, peaches, and a pumpkin muffin. He ate with gusto! Sadly for us, if it doesn't get better in another week we have to take in (gag) samples. Let's all hope he gets better.
Hope you all had a lovely Halloween! We are going to spend the rest of ours packing for vacation . . .
Love,
Alison
Happy Halloween!
Our little trick or treater is actually very excited this year, and looks very cute as a chicken. He melts hearts wherever he goes and people keep trying to give him more than one piece of candy. I keep saying, "No--really! One is plenty!"
This week has been busy. We have been planning our Sea Ranch vacation, which we go on tomorrow! We invited another family to come with us--I have mentioned them before, the Littles. They have a little girl, Cassie, who plays with Jens pretty well. We are looking forward to it.
Last week I went to my last watercolor class for a while. I am missing the official last class tomorrow, but the teacher said that I could go to a different class session and make it up. I have been enjoying it so much. I really forget sometimes how much I enjoy artwork! I keep thinking I should get my teaching certification in art so that if I want to go back to teaching sometime I could be an art teacher.
Friday our ward had trunk or treat. We took chili, which I tried to make a little spicier than usual. Jens had a great time running around and mastered the art of saying "trick or treat." It all ended sadly, however, when he broke open one of those glow sticks and got the stuff in his eyes. I had to flush his eyes with water, which I can assure you, he did not like at all. Fortunately, he got to try out his first ever sucker on the way home, which cheered him up considerably.
Sunday night we carved pumpkins with Natalie, which is fast becoming a tradition! JP missed out this year, so no intel pumpkin, but Natalie and I both carved cute ones, and Jens painted his pumpkin, which turned out cute. Mike painted a little face on one side, which Jens embellished upon by adding eyebrows. (He announced this as he was painting them on--"Look! Eyebrows!" and we all thought it was very cute.)
Monday Jens spent the morning at the Harrisons' house, something I think we are going to do every Monday. He is going through a rather difficult time which makes me feel like tearing my hair out sometimes, so since I watch Sarah on Wednesdays, Michelle Harrison is going to take Jens on Mondays. I am very happy about this arrangement and enjoyed the peaceful morning. He didn't want to get out of the car when Michelle brought him home, which makes me think he had a good time, too. I guess sometimes we both enjoy a break from each other.
Yesterday was our usual except that Jens played in our bathroom (a big no no) and turned my blush into a fine powder that covered everything.
Today we took Jens to the doctor because he has been having prolonged "tummy problems" for the past month or so. The doctor took him off the BRAT diet which he has been doing on and off for the past week and told us he can go back to regular milk instead of rice milk, which he drinks but doesn't love. Tonight he had chili, milk, peaches, and a pumpkin muffin. He ate with gusto! Sadly for us, if it doesn't get better in another week we have to take in (gag) samples. Let's all hope he gets better.
Hope you all had a lovely Halloween! We are going to spend the rest of ours packing for vacation . . .
Love,
Alison
Monday, October 29, 2007
Brussel Sprout Experiment
So we were at Apple Hill on Saturday, of course, and I saw brussel sprouts on the stalk. They looked kind of cool, and I thought, Maybe we should try those. So I bought some.
And I cut them off the stalk.
And cooked them, using a recipe that sounded really good.
This is how they looked after they were done.
Mike and I both tried them, and so did Natalie. Natalie, who likes them anyway, said they were really good. Mike and I both felt they were pretty yucky and that we will never have them again. But at least we tried them.
And I cut them off the stalk.
And cooked them, using a recipe that sounded really good.
This is how they looked after they were done.
Mike and I both tried them, and so did Natalie. Natalie, who likes them anyway, said they were really good. Mike and I both felt they were pretty yucky and that we will never have them again. But at least we tried them.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
October 24th
Hi Everyone!
Thanks for the birthday wishes. I am 29 today, which is a little weird. It is one of those much joked about ages and it seems like a large number. I realize that I have probably changed in the past ten years, but I still feel like I am the same, so it is strange to realize I just keep getting older. Last night Mike and I went out to celebrate (Chantara Thai, where they have the most delicious yellow curry) and tonight we are having cake and a few friends are coming over.
The thing I am most excited about, though, is that we are taking a little mini-vacation next weekend. Mike is taking Thursday and Friday and we are going to . . . The Sea Ranch. We originally thought about King's Canyon or Yosemite, but at this late notice, the only accomodations available were, uh00undesirable for staying in with a two year old. So we found a house at the Sea Ranch through a rental company that is running a special--stay two nights get the third night free. The house looks nice and it has a hot tub and it is close to the beach. We are looking forward to some R&R and star gazing :)
This week has been one of the lower weeks for us. Jens has been sicky since Saturday and threw some fine tantrums yesterday. Luckily the weather is nice, so yesterday and today we spent a couple of hours at the park with friends, which helps, since he seems to be done with me. We did all the normal things--storytime, park, music makers, and we had Harrison to play on Friday. We (of course) went to Apple HIll on Saturday and I got apples for making sauce. There is no sauce like homemade!
I think that is it. We are a little boring this week! I will send a few piccures--they are of Apple Hill and there is one of Jens, reading to his vacuum cleaner.
Have a good week.
Love,
Alison
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
October 17th
Hi Everyone.
We had a busy week!
Last Thursday after music makers I went to a cake decorating activity. It was fun practicing with the different tips. I think I could actually make a pretty fun looking cake if I ever had the occasion to. The pproblem is, a decorated cake is not my first choice of desserts. There are so many other things I would rather have if I am going to indulge! Also Thursday night was my first watercolor class. It was so fun to go out and do something creative and quiet and by myself (but with a friend). We did a techniques sampler, trying lots of different ways of using brushes and other materials to create different effects. I enjoyed it a great deal and yesterday I actually got all of my stuff out and painted a little picture. I always did like doing art projects.
Friday I finished my talk. I have to say, many thanks to everyone who gave me thoughts or ideas. I used little stories and ideas from everyone who sent me something or told me something. (Kristin, I even ended up using your little story you told me on the phone :). I felt really good about how it came out, and I even felt good about how I gave the talk. I have to say, divine intervention was definitely there because although I got a little teary, I didn't get TOO teary, if you know what I mean. I was able to talk in a pretty normal voice and I didn't feel embarassed, which is usually my problem and why I dislike giving talks so much. In fact, when I got over the fear aspect, there was a tiny (very tiny) part of me that enjoyed giving the talk. It must have been the teacher section of me. A large part of me enjoyed preparing it. I got lots of nice comments afterwards, which is always nice, and I also got new shoes and a cute new shirt to wear, which was fun.
Saturday we took Jens to do pictures. Boy, that is an experience that tries your patience. It is so hard because a part of you wants to make him stand in the corner because he is being so bad, but the other part of you realizes that you are never going to get a decent picture if you punish him and he throws a huge tantrum. We actually ended up with two really cute portraits (miracle of miracles) and one cute action shot where it looks like he has just thrown a discus or is doing a fancy dance move or tai chi or something. Afterwards we pushed the limits and stayed at the mall too long, resulting in a huge melt down. I had to carry him out of the mall, and he was so worn out that he laid his head on my shoulder while crying. That doesn't happen much.
Sunday was my talk in church, and also we practiced for the primary program. May I just say that 2 hours of practice with a class of 8 4-5 year olds is just a little much? I will be relieved when it is over. I am trying to decide what to wear Sunday given that I spent about half of the time kneeling on the floor trying to convince at least one of the kids to a. come out from under the bench, b. settle down after a microphone melt down, and c. stop touching everyone. Oh, and d. stop a little girl from putting her dress over her head. Have I mentioned I will be relieved when it is over?
Monday we went to the train museum with two other moms and their kids. Jens had a great time. By far his favorite thing was the model trains they have set up, although he also liked the play tables that are set up for the kids with wooden trains and cool tracks. Sadly, on the way home he fell asleep for about one minute (seriously. One minute.) and as a result took NO NAP. He got in bed and played for two hours, which meant he was a little cranky for the rest of the evening.
Yesterday Mike went to storytime with us, which was fun. It is nice to see him during the day and have him see what we do. Today we had Sarah and another little girl, Katelyn come over this morning so I could babysit. We walked to the park, which is a block away. It took us 25 minutes to get there. On the way home we dropped Katelyn off at kindergarten. It took us 40 minutes to get home! I couldn't believe how slow we were moving, and that was with us "running" for at least half of the walk. It would have been a really nice time killer if I 1. had had a chair to sit in or one of those motorized scooters and 2, if I hadn't really had to pee the whole time.
Ooo. This is a long e-mail. I'd better finish up. In Jens news: he has had "digestive problems" on and off for three weeks, so we are on a very strict BRAT diet. I feel sorry for the kid because I just keep offering him the same boring food every meal and snack. I did make him applesauce yesterday, which is delicious. Also, he is in to singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." In fact, he is singing it right now while he digs in the dirt outside.
Last plea for recipes--Bradfords, I didn't include you in my earlier request, but I will include you now. I am working on our Famliy Cookbook, Second Ed. and if anyone has some delicious recipes to contribute, that would be great. Summer, Collin, and Alissa, I know you guys cook all the time and make some good things. If you have any fun ones that you think we would enjoy trying, let us know.
Ok. That is it. Except that I got Jens his Halloween costume, and I will send a picture.
Love,
Alison
Here is Jens flapping his "wings"
We had a busy week!
Last Thursday after music makers I went to a cake decorating activity. It was fun practicing with the different tips. I think I could actually make a pretty fun looking cake if I ever had the occasion to. The pproblem is, a decorated cake is not my first choice of desserts. There are so many other things I would rather have if I am going to indulge! Also Thursday night was my first watercolor class. It was so fun to go out and do something creative and quiet and by myself (but with a friend). We did a techniques sampler, trying lots of different ways of using brushes and other materials to create different effects. I enjoyed it a great deal and yesterday I actually got all of my stuff out and painted a little picture. I always did like doing art projects.
Friday I finished my talk. I have to say, many thanks to everyone who gave me thoughts or ideas. I used little stories and ideas from everyone who sent me something or told me something. (Kristin, I even ended up using your little story you told me on the phone :). I felt really good about how it came out, and I even felt good about how I gave the talk. I have to say, divine intervention was definitely there because although I got a little teary, I didn't get TOO teary, if you know what I mean. I was able to talk in a pretty normal voice and I didn't feel embarassed, which is usually my problem and why I dislike giving talks so much. In fact, when I got over the fear aspect, there was a tiny (very tiny) part of me that enjoyed giving the talk. It must have been the teacher section of me. A large part of me enjoyed preparing it. I got lots of nice comments afterwards, which is always nice, and I also got new shoes and a cute new shirt to wear, which was fun.
Saturday we took Jens to do pictures. Boy, that is an experience that tries your patience. It is so hard because a part of you wants to make him stand in the corner because he is being so bad, but the other part of you realizes that you are never going to get a decent picture if you punish him and he throws a huge tantrum. We actually ended up with two really cute portraits (miracle of miracles) and one cute action shot where it looks like he has just thrown a discus or is doing a fancy dance move or tai chi or something. Afterwards we pushed the limits and stayed at the mall too long, resulting in a huge melt down. I had to carry him out of the mall, and he was so worn out that he laid his head on my shoulder while crying. That doesn't happen much.
Sunday was my talk in church, and also we practiced for the primary program. May I just say that 2 hours of practice with a class of 8 4-5 year olds is just a little much? I will be relieved when it is over. I am trying to decide what to wear Sunday given that I spent about half of the time kneeling on the floor trying to convince at least one of the kids to a. come out from under the bench, b. settle down after a microphone melt down, and c. stop touching everyone. Oh, and d. stop a little girl from putting her dress over her head. Have I mentioned I will be relieved when it is over?
Monday we went to the train museum with two other moms and their kids. Jens had a great time. By far his favorite thing was the model trains they have set up, although he also liked the play tables that are set up for the kids with wooden trains and cool tracks. Sadly, on the way home he fell asleep for about one minute (seriously. One minute.) and as a result took NO NAP. He got in bed and played for two hours, which meant he was a little cranky for the rest of the evening.
Yesterday Mike went to storytime with us, which was fun. It is nice to see him during the day and have him see what we do. Today we had Sarah and another little girl, Katelyn come over this morning so I could babysit. We walked to the park, which is a block away. It took us 25 minutes to get there. On the way home we dropped Katelyn off at kindergarten. It took us 40 minutes to get home! I couldn't believe how slow we were moving, and that was with us "running" for at least half of the walk. It would have been a really nice time killer if I 1. had had a chair to sit in or one of those motorized scooters and 2, if I hadn't really had to pee the whole time.
Ooo. This is a long e-mail. I'd better finish up. In Jens news: he has had "digestive problems" on and off for three weeks, so we are on a very strict BRAT diet. I feel sorry for the kid because I just keep offering him the same boring food every meal and snack. I did make him applesauce yesterday, which is delicious. Also, he is in to singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." In fact, he is singing it right now while he digs in the dirt outside.
Last plea for recipes--Bradfords, I didn't include you in my earlier request, but I will include you now. I am working on our Famliy Cookbook, Second Ed. and if anyone has some delicious recipes to contribute, that would be great. Summer, Collin, and Alissa, I know you guys cook all the time and make some good things. If you have any fun ones that you think we would enjoy trying, let us know.
Ok. That is it. Except that I got Jens his Halloween costume, and I will send a picture.
Love,
Alison
Here is Jens flapping his "wings"
Our Dinner
Tonight we dined in true Thomas style. I am sending you a picture to make you all jealous.
Love,
Alison
Love,
Alison
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
October 10th
Hi Everyone.
We had a good week because Grandma and Grandpa Helquist came to visit! They got here on Friday and Jens was so excited to see them. We told him earlier in the week that they were coming, and he talked about it every day until they got here.
We went out for dinner Friday to Chicago Fire, our favorite pizza place. We also walked across the American River Bridge, which was very chilly. Jens was quite well behaved considering how long we spent for dinner.
Saturday we got up early and went, of course, to Apple Hill. We were glad we left early because there was an amazing amount of traffic that day! We went to old favorites, Boa Vista and Denver Dan's, and stopped at a couple of new places, Kids Inc. where I picked my own pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch--Jens was supposed to choose one there, too, but he choose one at Boa Vista, our first stop. He had been talking about picking a pumpkin for several days and couldn't wait. We also stopped at a very funky El Dorado Farms, where they had a "train." It was an old car engine put into a plywood train like structure on wheels. The conductor sat on an old driver seat ripped out of a car. It was klassy, let me tell you, and of course, Jens loved it.
My special highlight was that Betty bought me an apple peeler/corer/slicer, which I have used every day since. I debated about whether I should admit that this was a highlight, as it is so dorky that I would be that excited over a kitchen gadget, but hey, that is who I am.
We got back in time to watch half of the second session of conference on our NEW TV!! Yes, Mike picked one out for us on Friday and we still have it, although we have talked about returning it every single day this week. It is plasma, and we hear there are problems with image retention on those. If you have any advice for us, let me know.
Sunday we watched conference and went to the park to enjoy the beautiful day. I do love California weather! I made an apple pie using my new handy kitchen gadget, and let me tell you, it made quick work of those apples.
Monday Grandma and Grandpa left us and Jens turned into a huge cranky-whiny pants. Also, he is taking very short naps which makes him more cranky AND me more cranky. When Mike came home from work he could see that me energy and patience were totally sapped and kindly took Jens for two hours worth of "errands."
We did story time yesterday and afterwards he turned into a library nightmare, namely running through the library while screaming, and if I grabbed him, he screamed even louder. Also, while we were going to the car, he "forgot" how to walk, which meant that I had to drag him by one arm while also carrying 7 library books and the diaper bag. Oh, and he was screaming all the way. We were, as a result of his behavior, late for visiting teaching. ARGH!
In happy news, tomorrow I am going to a cake decorating class in the morning and my water color class starts tomorrow night. I am taking the art class with Sophia Little, a friend from church, and I am looking forward to a little creative outlet. Also, time out of our house child free.
In cute Jens news, (I figure I should end on something cute since I have complained about him so much) he and Sarah played together so nicely today. He was very concerned about helping her into her coat and making sure she had her cup and snack. Also, Mike sneezed and Jens said "Bless you, Daddy." Then he turned to Sarah and said "Say bless you Daddy." She doesn't talk much, so she didn't do it, but he was trying to be so helpful.
Also, Jessie, he has started saying "Got forgot," like Abbie used to. It is cute.
We are off for a family bike ride. I will send some pictures of our weekend.
Ok, I just looked at the pictures and I am sending a lot of them, but mostly because they are so cute and the pumpkins are so pretty.
Love,
Alison
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