Please Help

I visit teach someone who just had a baby 2 1/2 weeks ago. The baby was born with a large tumor on her neck and will need extensive medical treatment. This cute, young couple is on student insurance, and could use some help. A friend of theirs set up an account at Zion's Bank under the name Elizabeth Sanders. I'd like to do something to help them since I can't even visit (baby is quarantined for now). If you can donate, please do. Thanks!

The Evolution of Marriage

Mike cut this out and put it on the fridge when we were newlyweds.

Mike cut this out and put it on the fridge last week.

He thinks he's so funny. Sadly, the new comic is pretty accurate. I have to remind myself sometimes not to micromanage. It gets easier though, realizing not everything has to be perfectly done my way. I like it done my way, but it's not as crucial as I once thought.

Mike and I went to dinner (by ourselves!) Tuesday night. Mike was craving BBQ again, so we went to our favorite place, Joe Morley's. Someone I worked with nearly ten years ago is still there, so he came to our table and chatted with us for a minute. I asked him about being married. He chuckled and said, "Man, I hate it. I love her to death, but I hate being married." At first we thought he was kidding. He wasn't. He said they fight a lot and then asked if we fight a lot. We said no, and I think he was either really surprised, or thought we were lying. Actually, the longer we're married the better it gets. Mike is really great!

According to Dr. Laura, the key to a successful marriage is 4 words. Choose Wisely, Treat Kindly. When I got married I didn't really understand just how wisely I had chosen. Example: Mike is just pulling in the garage from delivering my visiting teaching cop-out, end-of-the-month cookies (Normally we get our visits done, this month we slacked off. I also made enough cookies for Mike's home teaching families).

Mike is a fabulous husband and an amazing father. We'll celebrate our 6th anniversary this year. I'm so glad I was smart enough to make him marry me!

It worked!

This is Will eating a big, yummy spoonful of butternut squash...

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is Sam, also eating a big, yummy spoonful of butternut squash! That's right everyone, I hid veggies in his mac & cheese! And he ate it!!! I'm still giddy. I can't believe it worked. Yesterday I pureed some fruit cocktail and mixed some in with his applesauce, and he wouldn't eat it. When it comes to picky eaters, Sam is the worst. He won't eat (or even try) pb&j, pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. Pickiest eater ever. After his first bite of mac & cheese he said he didn't like it (and that it was gross), so I thought I had failed again. But for some reason he picked up his spoon and started eating. And then kept eating. He knew something was different about his food, but miraculously, he ate it anyway. I think I smiled to myself for at least 10 minutes. I'm sure Mike thinks I'm crazy, but any mother of a picky eater will understand. Bless Jessica Seinfeld!

Cheese!

So many poems in Where the Sidewalk Ends that I love. Now Sam loves these poems too, especially the ones about the crocodile at the dentist, and captain hook!
The crayons that Sam is holding are funny to me. When Mike and I were registering for our wedding, we were at Target with the scanning gun. Mike saw the classic box of eight crayola crayons, and insisted we register for them. I thought he was a little insane (but so cute), so we scanned them. One of my friends thought it was hilarious and she got them for us. Yesterday when Sam found them was the first time they had ever been used.

More snow!

Mike guessed we got about a foot of snow last night. We're supposed to get another storm like this tonight. It rained before the snow came, so this was HEAVY snow to shovel.

President Hinckley

I was driving home with the boys on Sunday night when Mike called (he stayed behind at his parents' house to help clean up dinner). He let me know that President Hinckley had passed away. The world is mourning the loss of a great, amazing man. More than that though, I feel as though I'm mourning my own personal loss. I never met him, I'd only ever seen him from a distance. Still, I felt as though a member of my family had passed away. Words seem inadequate. It's sad for us to see him go, but I can't imagine his reception upon crossing to the other side. How amazing that must have been.

[Someone is planning a cane wave tribute for those who will attend the funeral.]

President Hinckley was a faithful servant of the Lord, but I take comfort in knowing that his work will continue because it is the work of the Lord. I'm so thankful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Presents!

Mike already bought my birthday present! Okay, I called him from Costco and asked if he would (told him he was going to) give me this book for my birthday. I guess I'll have to read my library copy for two more weeks until I can open my new one. This book is fabulous. Highly recommended for anyone with kids.

For Mike's birthday I got him an authentic replica of the original 1830 edition of The Book of Mormon. It's so cool. They really made everything just like the original, with digitally reproduced text and everything. I've always wanted to read it in paragraph format, and now I can.