Have a bitchin' summer! We totally have to hang out. Call me! 867-5039

Sorry, mom, for the cussing in the title. I just couldn't help myself.
That phrase takes me all the way back to middle school. Man oh man, if those weren't some good times.
We are about to embark on our soon to be annual trip to Yellowstone--this means photos to come-- and it is the kick off our summer season. I am EXCITED.

Here are some other things I love about summer (past and present):
* West Yellowstone. Holla, Sarita! Remember our ode to West? I think I still have it.
* Jackson--bet my parents never thought they'd hear that.
* Rodeos
* Coalville's Demo Derby
* H.'s b-day. Numero uno is coming up.
* Moab--that first trip was killer fun. Right, Stace?
* Drive-in movies.
* Good books (I read Twilight in three days last year)
* The farm and Starvation reservoir. Is it a reservoir or a lake?
* Picnics/BBQs. I LOVE chocolate cake and potato salad and burgers from the grill. mmm mmm
* Zion's Ntnl Park
* Kissing on the front steps
* Kissing on the green belt
* Sleeping under the stars
* Lava Hot Springs and the Fourth in I.F.
* Roller Coaster tour 98 (or maybe '99)
* Lillith Fair and the Oregon Coast

I Read...a lot

I do. I read all the time. I don't feel complete without a book for me to turn to, be it the end of the day or avoiding household duties. I must have something to bury my nose in and get lost. Consequently, I also want my life to live like what I read. I'm not into fluffy books (except the Twilight series. Viva Staphanie Meyer!--who wouldn't want a little vampire, or werewolf, love in their life?), but I'm also not really into edgy controversial books either. Give me an "americana" book any day and I will give you a happy Julia.
A common thread I find in many of the books I read are heroes and heroines who have a passion for something. Photography (Where the Heart Is), baking bread (Bread Alone) and, while I'm reading, I think that yes, I too would love to be a photographer or a baker or a knitter or be passionate about living and do all of these uber amazing things. I think how I want people to look at me and see this amazing talent that I have and say, "Julia, I never knew you could do this. This _______ (insert talent) could really take you places." But, alas, that is not the case. I have no passions, I have no secret talent that anyone really cares to see or wants to be displayed. I'm just ... me. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't think this is a bad thing. In a lot of ways I think I'm pretty damn cool, but I do wonder what my passion is and when I'll discover it. Until then I suppose I will be content with eaves dropping on other's lives through the medium of literature. Not so bad, I guess. At least it's entertaining and I'm a pretty decent speller because of it.

the end.

Why I Love Google

I love GOOGLE for many reasons. First of all, it's fun to say and to type. Secondly, it offers up a ridiculous amount of information (some accurate, some not).

One of my most recent adventures on Google gave me permission to relax:

I've been semi-concerned with the fact that my now 10 month old baby boy has yet to show any real interest in moving. He doesn't crawl, scoot, anything. If I put him on his belly he will promptly roll over and play from there. I watch his peers practice their various forms of mobility while H. just sits, plays and looks at them with only slight interest. In every other way he is developing fantastically. He babbles ALL the time (occasionally saying dada and momma), he waves, he gives kisses and hugs, he laughs and is just all around crazy cute... he just has no interest in moving around on his own.

Anywho, I googled "10 month old-not crawling" and was directed to a website set up for parents who are concerned with just such things. Amazing! It was here I found countless stories of kids who had not crawled until 12 and 13 months (many not even moving like H.) and not walking until 18 months, but are perfectly fine in their development. I even found one that quoted some study saying "Early talker, Late Walker"--I'll just hold to that and enjoy my son and the fact that I don't have to chase him all over Kingdom Come. Thank you, Google.

Please enjoy some pictures of H. sitting. :)

You may also notice that he has taken to squinting whenever I bring out the camera. Whatcha' gonna do?

What I've Seen

Recently I came across a blog of mothers who had formed an online book club/blog. I thought it was a great idea. Here are some reasons I like this idea:

1. No big deal if you can't make the meeting... you just log in and post your comments at your leisure.

2. You don't have to read the book if you don't have time.

3. They had each member assigned a month to choose the book. For example I would be assigned July. Sally- August. Janis- September. Etc.

4. They started with a core group but could invite anyone to join.

5. When each new individual joined they wrote a post with their introduction letting other members know a little bit about themselves.

6. It's a great way to "meet" new people and be exposed to new books without the time commitment most book groups require.

I've been thinking about doing this. Anyone else in?

Grilled Cheese

I am a Grilled Cheese Sandwich:

You are a traditional person with very simple tastes.In your opinion, the best things in life are free, easy, and fun.You totally go with the flow. And you enjoy every minute of it!

Your best friend: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Your mortal enemy: The Ham Sandwich

After discovering that I was a grilled cheese sandwich I promptly made myself one. What could be better for nourishment than a little essence o' myself? It was scrumdiddilyumptious!

Take the quiz yourself at the link below and find out what kind of sandwich YOU are!

http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofsandwichareyouquiz/

Thoughts on Mothers...

"We are losing what women have traditionally contributed to cultural stability... one woman's recent essay, 'Despising Our Mothers, Despising Ourselves,' reported that despite many victories for women since the 1960s, the self-respect of American women is at an all time low. Why? Because we've experienced not just a revolt against men's oppression but also a revolt against women: 'Heroic women who dedicated their lives to children--as mothers, teachers, nurses, social workers--have been made to feel stupid and second rate because they took seriously the Judeao-Christian precept that it was better to do for others than for oneself.' Devaluing motherhood devalues 'the primary work of most women throughout history, ' which tells women they 'aren't worth serious consideration.'" -Bruce C. Hafen
Is it then so unbelievable that many women do not understand their worth as mothers, when they are constantly being told they are somehow not fulfilled or challenged if they are "just a mom"? Is it hard to understand why we, as women feel we need to make excuses for our choice to be a mother? It is time we turned a deaf ear to the shouts of the world and began to listen to the calm voice of the Lord and His leaders. It is time we understood what it means to be a mother.
Sheri Dew said the following, "Motherhood is not what was left over after our Father blessed His sons with priesthood ordination. It was the most ennobling endowment He could give his daughters, a sacred trust that gave women an unparalleled role in helping His children keep their second estate...There can be no question about how our Father feels about His daughters, whom he has charged with the principal care of His children."
In essence, what we now know is that our Father in Heaven trusts us with one of the most challenging, fulfilling, and exciting of calls. He is allowing, asking, and relying on us to help Him bring his children home.
To be entrusted with the moral, ethical, and divine education of a child of God. Can there be anything more rewarding?
Oprah Winfrey made the following statement, "I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is. To create an environment that's stimulating and nurturing, to pass on a sense of responsibility to another human being, to raise a child who understands that he or she is created from good and is capable of anything-- I know for sure that few callings are more honorable. To play down mothering as small is to crack the very foundation on which greatness stands.
The world can only value mothering to the extent that women everywhere stand and declare that it must be so. In our hands we hold the power to transform the perception of motherhood... we should no longer allow a mother to be defined as 'just a mom.' It is on her back that great nations are built."

Long post I know, but worth the read, I think.
-je

Too Cute Not To Post

Piano lessons. Hayden and his cousin Noah "playing" the piano (please ignore my finger moving the shutter--I never claimed to be a professional).

Hayden waving. His latest skill captured on film:

Entering Domesticity

I'm learning to knit. I'm not very good, and I'm not a perfectionist. A bad combination for knitting. This translates to dropped stitches and other flaws I just try to hide rather than fix.

I do love the knitting, however. There is something extremely satisfying about creating a useful item. Here are pirctures of what I've done so far. A hat for Hayden, which actually didn't fit by the time I finished...sigh. Onward and upward. Next project: A baby blanket for Maida. I've enlisted help for this one, though. Hopefully it will turn out. Stay tuned.

Ode to Jane

My sis turns 29 today (cinco de mayo... woo woo) and I thought it only appropriate to write her an ode. So, ahem, here goes.

Jane, Janelia, Wan
I am your number one fan.

ha ha.
What was that you said? Uber lame? Yeah, I know. I 'll try to be a little more serious.

Things I've Learned from Janna

* Patience IS a virtue
* Just because your kids are having a fit doesn't mean you have to
* It is possible to discipline with love
* When your kids have a a question answer it, don't just brush them aside (And, using this philosophy my nephew, Lucas now thinks his Auntie Jules is pretty smart. Got him fooled, at least for a little while)
* Encourage imagination ("Transformers! More than meets the eye!")
* NEVER give up
* Sleep is essential (even more so when you're not getting any)
* Encourage learning and reading and even researching ... my five year old nephew can answer almost any question about the solar system and has been able to since he was three.
* Always explore with your kids
* Get out there and do

I'm sure there's more, but this is what came to me at the moment.
Love you, Jane and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Traveling Tips

Recently I was able to visit my sister Janna in For-gin-i-a (Virginia, for those of you unfamiliar with phone announcer speak). It was, to say the least, fantastic! Loved every bit of it, and would recommend it to anyone. If only to hang out with my nephews who are c-r-a-z-y funny ("Mommy, poopie is squishy."--oh, how I look forward to potty training).

I flew there with my nine month old son in tow and the pre-flight jitters (thinking of how many times I've flown and hoped, desperately, that the person with the baby wouldn't sit by me) made me think long and hard about how to best handle a baby on board. Needless to say I did much research and following are my tips for traveling with a baby...

1. After booking flight for two adult seats obsess about how stressful it will be to travel with a baby. (Do this for AT LEAST three months ahead of time)

2. Talk incessantly about your fears of traveling with baby to anyone who will listen (generally family and friends and mothers in the play group)

3. Over research the topic of traveling with little ones. Pay special attention to the information that strongly recommends buying and infant seat. After all "...a baby can be thrown to the back of the plane if turbulence gets too rough and mother is unable to hold on to her child."

4. Glare at anyone who laughs or snickers when you relate your fears of baby flying to back of plane during turbulence.

5. Obsess about whether or not you are being overly obsessive about whether or not to buy an infant seat.

6. Waffle back and forth about buying the seat until one week prior to flight.

7. Buy infant seat.

8. Feel huge relief as you no longer have to worry about holding baby through seven hours of traveling.

9. Enjoy flight because baby is so much more content to sleep and play in car seat (which is securely fastened into plane seat avoiding anybody flying to the back of the plane) than he would be to sit on your lap.

10. Bring a sister or other traveling companion along to help carry both diaper bags (one filled with food and "distractions" the other with diapers and change of clothes), wheel stroller and sit next to you in case the only trick you have left to stop a distressed baby is breast feeding.

11. Hope and pray you'll never have to actually change diaper in plane restroom... very difficult indeed.

** Please note that if you were not born with my particular neurosis this "advice" may not apply to you.**