Suspicion

Every time guys come around door-to-door selling pesticides I end up finding WAY more bugs in my house.  So I'm wondering: do they just release a bunch of the little critters right when they hit a neighborhood to try and boost sales?  Or is this just all the bugs fleeing from other homes that just got  sprayed?  Either way, it's creepy and awful.  I don't usually have problems with insects in my home (a fact for which I will be forever grateful).

And while I'm talking about pesticide salesmen, the guy yesterday kept emphasizing that they were an "eco-friendly company" and their product was so "eco-friendly."  Maybe I'm just stupid here (Elizabeth?  Tell me what you know about this!), but isn't eco-friendliness pretty much all about NOT killing things, even bugs, and NOT using pesticides?  How can a pesticide possibly be eco-friendly and actually work?  Isn't that a contradiction in terms?

In any case, I'm not buying it.  Literally and figuratively.




P.S.  I was going to put an image of a bug on this post.  But then I thought, "Why do that to myself?"  So you can be glad that I'm a wimp.

Hodgepodge

Okay, I lied. I promised more pictures from Vegas. But then I found all these old pictures that I meant to post and never did. So rather than just waiting for a chance to steal Craig's phone, I figured I'd go ahead and post all these.  Most of them are from Christmas, so I'm sorry if I'm totally confusing your sense of chronology!  Try to enjoy them anyway!

Ryder likes to play on the piano.  And since it was free, I let him.  
In this picture, I love how his black pants make him look sort of formal with the black piano, but then he's not wearing a shirt.  So instead he sort of looks like a chippendale dancer...  Nice!

At our ward Christmas party, the theme was "A Morning in Jerusalem" which was very nice.  But it meant that we didn't get a visit from Santa for all the kids.  A friend of mine was annoyed about that, so she asked Santa to make a personal visit to her home.  Then she invited us and a few others to come and enjoy meeting him, too!  The kids were thrilled and it was a great evening!

Story time with Santa

That day in school, Bentley had made a reindeer hat and sweatshirt, which he dutifully wore to show to Santa

Santa even knew to hold Ryder facing out so he wouldn't realize a stranger was holding him.  

What a pro!

Pensive Ryder

And sleepy Ryder

Bentley "reading" How the Grinch Stole Christmas to Kendra and cousin Samuel

Going on a walk with Grandpa Rex

Most of the Bentley girls-- Rachael, Natalie, Mom, Tracy, and me

(Only Leah is missing from this shot)

And of course, Dad with his women!

Craig gave me this beautiful Hawaiian skirt for Christmas

Craig was excited to stuff the turkey for Christmas dinner

Caleb and Ryder in their matching outfits (compliments of Aunt Tracy!)

This picture deserves some explaining.  My Dad very kindly carried a chocolate Santa in his carry-on that my Mom wanted to share with the whole family.  Unfortunately, TSA does not look kindly on huge chocolate Santas (you can see it perched on the bumper of my van), so they proceeded to check my Dad in all sorts of fun ways to make sure chocolate Santa wasn't housing a bomb.  In this picture, my Dad is re-enacting his treatment at the hands of the TSA.

Chocolate Santa sure was yummy, so I think it was worth all the trouble, Dad!  Thanks!!!

 

I love how Ryder is totally photo-bombing Bentley all posed in his Batman costume here.

Way back when it was freezing cold outside, we took the kids to the Museum of American History.

Bentley's favorite part, as witnessed here, was the Metro ride.

Sheer joy, right here.

Kendra and Daddy were pretty excited to ride a train, too.

I think Ryder was just excited to have his picture taken.

And apparently I didn't even know I was having my picture taken!  Oh, well.

You can see how bundled up we all were.  It really was wicked cold that day.

Walking back to the Metro after the museum.  I really love this picture.

Here's another one with a story.  I made rolls that day, and Bentley was so excited that he gave me a sticker to thank me for it.

Who says motherhood is a thankless task?

Well, I guess it's so thankless that when I do get thanked, I have to document it.  Even if it means a pretty bad picture of me.

I don't know why, but babies playing in boxes is just cute.  So I took pictures.

Next post: more about Las Vegas.  This time I mean it!

Viva Las Vegas

You may or may not have noticed, but I've been gone for over a week! Last Friday we headed to Las Vegas to celebrate my Grandma's 90th birthday! All of my sisters and most of my cousins were gathered together and it was so great to see everyone again.  I did my usual trick of taking hardly any pictures at all.  These are a few of the ones I did get, and later I'll add Craig's to the blog.

Bentley playing in my uncle's back yard

Four generations!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!!!

Enjoying the fountain show at the Bellagio

Who can resist the chance to take a picture with a miniature Eiffel Tower?

Bentley finds the only spot to sit that isn't facing a slot machine.

Kendra with a lady bug made out of carnations

Bentley thought these bees were pretty cool

There's tons more to tell. TONS. But I need to restock our pantry before I spend any more time blogging. I just wanted to let you know that we're back home and expect a lot more posts shortly!

A Short Plea

 From http://xkcd.com/1048/

Can I just say that this graph hit a little too close to home.  Both the little chunk of Joss Whedon over in 2006 (how I miss having Buffy afternoons with my grad school friends!) and then of course the scary gray patch that wells up in 2010.

Phew.  What a year.  I feel like every time I turn around I learn of someone who has cancer.

Readers-- eat those foods that are supposed to have antioxidants or whatever it is that nutrition experts are swearing will help your body fight off cancer, okay?  And wear sunscreen, too!  I don't want to deal with any more cancer in my friends and loved ones!  Down with cancer.

Matching

I just finished folding a load of laundry.  There were ten pairs of socks in it.  And I found the match for every. single. one of them.  Ever since Ryder discovered how fun it is to hide things-- under pillows, between couch cushions, or simply tossed over the side of his stroller-- things like being able to match up all the socks have become minor victories in my life.  So matching all ten pairs now counts that as blinding, raging success.



I realize it's kind of a pathetic thing to get excited over.  But you gotta grab victory wherever you can find it.  Don't you think?

Compensation

Tonight I painted my toenails. This really wouldn't be a very big deal, except I'm pretty sure it's the first time they've been painted since I was 8 months pregnant with Ryder. He's 17 months old now, so that makes for a really long time to not paint your toenails at all.   My Mom once told me that with each child, she noticed that one aspect of keeping house went out the window-- I think when she had me the chore that died was mopping.  I never mopped much to begin with, so I was already screwed in that department.  But apparently with each kid, I'm letting my personal hygiene go?  Or does painting one's toenails even count as hygiene?  Maybe that qualifies as a luxury or something (it's not like I don't cut them!  ...Occasionally).

I think as long as I'm still showering every day, I'm not going to worry too much.

And honestly, who can be bothered worrying about much of anything when you've got such a fun and smiley little Ryder around!

Trying to show how small he is in my big bed

(These were all taken after I made the bed with him in it.  He was delighted by the entire experience.)


Yeah, he's definitely more fun than pretty toes!

Signs of Summer

Last night, driving home from Young Women's with Craig, I saw the first firefly of the season.  Few things herald the coming of summer better in my mind.  And even though it's already a bit on the hot and humid side here (especially for being the very beginning of May!), if that's the price I have to pay for the only bugs that I truly enjoy, then it is well worth it in my mind.

Before I know it, school will be out and there will be time for Craig and I to sit out on the porch watching them flying and glowing and blinking on and off again.  And that's what summer should be about.

Welcome back, little lightning bugs!  I've missed you these last six months!

Conversations with My Children

All three of these conversations happened yesterday.

With Kendra:

Kendra: Mommy, if I pray in the woods, will I get to see Heavenly Father and Jesus?
Apparently she'd been learning about Joseph Smith in her Primary classes.
Me (turning off the car radio so I can actually listen to what she's saying): Well, that's pretty tricky.  I guess if you prayed with lots of faith and you had to ask them something that no one else knew the answer to-- not even Mommy and Daddy-- then maybe they would come and talk to you.
Kendra: Like, could I ask them how to fix my necklace?
Me: You could, but since I'm pretty sure Mommy knows how to fix your necklace, I don't think they'd come and answer that question.

With Ryder:

Me (casually flipping him over for bum-sniff while I carry him up the stairs), "Let's see if you're poopy!"
Sharp, corner wall at bottom of stairs: THWACK.  Right against his forehead.
Ryder: Ahhhhhhh!!!!  (gasps in breath while face turns every known shade of red). aAAaAAAA-

aAAAHHHHHHHHHHHhhHhHhHhHhHh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me: omigosh, i'm sorryimsorryimsorryimsorry!!!!!

 

Ryder continues to cry hysterically.  Miraculously it didn't end up leaving a bruise.  That surprised me.  I've always been worried that one of these days I would accidentally conk one of my baby's heads against a door jam.  I didn't even think to worry about knocking my toddler into the corner of the wall!

With Bentley:

Me: Good night, Bentley.  I love you.

Bentley: Mommy, why doesn't the Holy Ghost have a body?  When will he get one?

Me: Um.  When God decides to let him have one?  I don't really know.

And this is why I'm so worn out by the end of each day.  And I thought defending my thesis was hard!