New Adventures

On Friday I did something brave and decided to donate blood for the first time. I'd made an attempt years before but was turned away for low iron. Friday was the day. I woke up determined to give. 

Iron was 12.7 (12.5 required) and my donation went better than expected! I got pretty sleepy in the afternoon but after a little nap I was fine. I'm good as long as I don't stand up too quickly.  

I will definitely donate blood again. 

Arkansas is a glorious place. We woke up Saturday morning with some hard core decisions about what to do with our day. We had Hay Days and weenie dog races in Bella Vista, and the World Squirrel Cook off on the Bentonville square. Now how were we supposed to choose between two such great events?!

We decided to go for it all. 

First stop, the weenie races. 

These people mean business. They were serious about their weenies. 

Question: where did they all come from? There were hundreds of doggies at Hay Days and 2/3 of them were weenies. I got a thrill out of all the opportunities to say That's What She Said. There were weenies everywhere. I'm no dog person, so I felt a little out of place at an event so clearly designed for dog lovers. It was still fun though. Dogs in costumes, dogs in strollers, dogs walking humans, doggie stations at every tent/booth, and as many dog food booths as there were people food booths. 

We watched a few races, walked around, dog people watched (even better than regular people watching), got some Popsicles and headed out. 

Next up: Corbin's soccer game. 

Could he be any cuter?!

Then we drove by the square but were disappointed to discover we'd just missed the squirrel cook off. Bummer. 

Onto the NWA Emergency Preparedness Fair. 

The kids milked a goat, ate lunch witg friends, learned about bees, climbed around in some storm shelters, milled some grains with a hand crank, and watched a helicopter take off.

The fair was unbearably hot. We spent the afternoon napping and holding our weekend visitor: Stripe, the third grade class pet, who came home with Reese for the weekend.  

There's a guinea pig in my basement. I know. I don't even know who I am anymore. The other day I let the kids bring the neighbor's kitten inside for a few minutes. Whaaat?

This guy is starting to get more adventurous every day. We've found him looting the pantry, eating dirt from the flower pot, fishing in the toilet (gross.), up the stairs faster than humanly possible, and stuck in a lot of corners and crannies.

Saturday ended with s'mores with the Carpenters on the island. The kids ran around, threw things in the fire, and rode scooters in the street. Kristi and I talked, and the men watched the BYU game on Jim's phone.  It was a great end to a great day. 

Labor Day Weekend is the Best!

A baby with a ball in the neighbor's backyard is the best!

Randomly falling asleep in the bucket seat is the best.

Date night and really weird art at 21C are the best.

 Tired out children from too much fun in the sun are the best.

 Writing samples that look like a Chick-fil-A billboard are the best.

 Big sisters at the pool and a borrowed pool floatie are the best.

 Sitting by dad in the wading pool is the best.

 Summer at Metfield pool is the best.

 A ginger in the pool is the best.

Finishing projects for my preschool classroom is the best! I'm so happy to have these little cubbies done. 

 Ping pong tournaments at friend's houses are the best!

 A superhero theme 5K with Reese is the best! Run for a Child 2013 was a success!

Running with friends is the best.  

It was great to have Katie and Hannah, Emily and Max, Michelle and Hannah and Madi, Kasey, Tanya, and Becky at the race. 

Bestie's best costume is the best! Friends who win prizes are best!  Congrats to K for best costume, and to Becky and Tanya for placing first in their age groups. Lookin' good, ladies! I'm inspired!

 A date with Quincy after the ward party is the best.  We went on a little 1 mile run (ok, a walk with a hike) to the waterfall at Tanyard Creek. I love how green Arkansas is.  Look at the beautiful trail behind that beautiful girl.

 Orange running clothes for tiny runner people are the best.

 Being brave and trying out the rope swing for the first time is the best. Go Reese!  Thanks for the encouragement from my friends who helped her gather courage to do it!

Labor Day at the Pedersen's is the best.

Grilled dinner with friends is the best!
Finally putting legs on the piano is the best!
Serving in primary is the best!

Happy Birthday, Sue

Years ago, a friend of mine advised me to surround myself with women who have personalities, talents, character traits, and spiritual gifts that I admire, so that their strengths will wear off on me, and so I can call on them for help to supplement my own misgivings and weaknesses.  This advice came from a woman who I still for the life of me have not found a single flaw in, so I have decided that this must be worthwhile practice if it is working so well for her. 

One of the great women I'm hoping will wear off on me a bit is Sue Moon.

This really great woman had a birthday last week.

Sue requested lunch with a few friends at The Wooden Spoon in Gentry for her birthday and I was one of the lucky ones to be invited.  What a treat!  It was a lot of fun.  Age really is just a number. Sue is sharp, witty, optimistic, a very good listener, and full of cheer.  She knows a little (or a lot) something about everything! She tells excellent stories about the very interesting life she has had and I could sit still for hours listening if she were talking. I love to listen to her talk.  I've learned so much about friendship from this amazing woman, and I hope to be like her when I am her age. I hope to be like her at my current age!

So what do you get someone for her 78th birthday?  She has given me so much through her friendship, I was already at an unfair disadvantage to reciprocate.  

Kasey (aka the gift whisperer) managed to track down replacement glass domes for a set of lights on her porch that she has mentioned they don't make anymore. We installed them last week and Sue was delighted. We also took a page from the Book of Sue and decided to shower her with compliments.  Sue is a giver of happiness.  She is polite and respectful and kind and complimentary and most importantly genuine.  She wins your heart without flattery, and acknowledges all of the goodness around her.  We collected favorite memories, stories, and kind words and assembled them into a little book of love for her.  

And then the kind words kept coming! Instead of 78 good things/stories about Sue, she went home with close to 90, we decided it's a sign that she has a few years to grow on. ;) 

After lunch, she graced US with a little treat and stood up to read us a poem she had written.  

Who writes a poem for their friends these days?  What a novel idea.  The four of us sat at the table in awe as she read and relished the happiness we feel that this beautiful friend is in our lives to grace us with her knowledge and laughter.  She is doing 78 right. I feel like every time I'm around Sue, I'm getting a lesson on how to be classy, grateful, and supportive. She is such a good example to me, and the only bad thing about our friendship is that when I am 78 years old, she won't be there to be old with me.

Last First Day of Preschool for Corbin

Mr. Corbin finally got to have his first day of preschool.  He is in the Butterfly class now and loves seeing his friends. When I ask him after school what they did, he always excitedly tells me who was in time out and what they did to get into                                                                                                                               trouble.  I'm still not sure if this habitual report is a good or a bad thing. 

Corbin is learning quickly these days. He still loves books, animals, and the color yellow (yeh-woe).  He loves his friends, his sisters, and his baby. He loves taking his water bottle to school in a lunch bag, and he is a great helper in the kitchen after school when it's time to make lunch.  

When did this kid get so tall?

He is still rocking the potty thing and has been accident free for over 2 weeks.  It's wonderful. I made him a little sticker chart (a super fancy one: white computer paper with 30 circles drawn on it) and he puts a sticker on the chart every time he poops in the toilet.  When he fills the chart I will buy him the playmobil zoo animal toy he's been eyeing for months.  He loves this system and counts the circles he has left daily.

The other day, Aaron and I were in our bedroom getting dressed, and Corbin knocked on the door.  "Just a minute, I'm not dressed yet."I said.
His response through the door was, "But it's ME. Open the door!" as if I thought I was speaking to a total stranger standing at my bedroom door inside my house.  

Every person that comes to our house is asked two questions by Corbin.
"Do you have friends (kids)?" and "Where's your iPad?"

Corbin is always a fun buddy to have around, but it's amazing how much he has changed for the better since he started using the toilet regularly.  He is extra fun and happy and adventurous. Watching him play with Soren is hilarious in a way that makes me sure that the days where those two tag team and cause trouble daily are right around the corner.

Baby Soren is 1

I haven't blogged in 2 weeks because I didn't want to move forward without acknowledging baby Soren's birthday.

Why yes, I am still calling him Baby Soren.
I'm also still nursing him (hardly), still using a bucket style infant carseat (hey it still fits), and still carrying him around everywhere. He doesn't walk (thank goodness) and probably won't walk until he is 25 because he doesn't really know he has legs.  Aaron tells me I'm raising kobe beef cow.  You know...those calves that the farmers feed all day, but never give the chance to walk, so they'll be nice and fat?  My kobe beef baby and I like this arrangement just fine. Soren is such a lovey baby. He is a snuggle baby and a cuddly guy and I love it.  I know it won't last, and that breaks my heart, so I soak it up while I can, which means I hold and spoil him a lot. He deserves it.

The night before his birthday I didn't want to put him to bed. I knew it was my last night with a real baby baby in the house. I rocked him and sang to him and he humored my need for baby time by sucking his tiny thumb and nodding off in my arms.  It was perfect.

We celebrated with cake (yep, from the walmart bakery. Eat your heart out, fancy party pinterest moms), a candle, and a lot of laughs.

He grabbed his slice right off the serving spatula and shoved it into his mouth before it ever had a chance to touch the plate. These pics were after slices 2, 3, and maybe 4...

He cried every time he ran out of cake. 

So we gave him more. 

I love this baby so much, I probably don't even need to write it down, because everyone I know is sick of hearing how much I love him.  

Sweet Soren, your life is one of my greatest joys.  You are a perfect little pleasure and being your mother is truly a gift. You are a constant reminder to me of God's love and power. 

I love you, I love you, I love you.