The Dyes Go to the Zoo Again

I finally guilted talked Justin into going to the zoo. Since I hate crowds we went the week before fall break and took Sarah out of school. The weather was perfect and it wasn't busy at all.

Since my trip to the zoo is going to look just like your trip to the zoo, I'll try to think of interesting things to say other than, "here's Erica with the giraffes."

Here's Henry with a t-rex. (See how more interesting that is?) Sometimes these robot dinosaurs were more interesting than the real animals. They moved and made noises unlike some of the real animals (lion, bears, etc)

Erica called the giraffes puppies and said "roar" a lot. Turns out that's what she thinks all animals are called and that's the sound they make.

There's a picture of me doing this exact same thing 25 years ago. I think if the zoo ever remodeled themselves out of the lion drinking fountains, there'd be a revolt.

Henry's being a big pill today so I needed to see this picture.

It was only 10 am and we had only been at the zoo for 30 minutes but they are already rummaging for snacks.

Elephant bum.

I really want to pet a rhino.

Erica thought the completely horizontal fake log was a slide.

The river otters weren't there again. For being my favorite they sure are letting me down. I have a few videos of the always entertaining sea lions but videos take time and I'm lazy.

Erica liked to shush the other kids because the bears were sleeping.

More fake dinosaurs.

Guess where we are?  Yup, the reptile house aka stinky house.

This cat was sleeping too.

Go turtles go!

And the train to end our visit.

The kids downed a whole package of Mambas in minutes. I wasn't mad. I understand.

Fun at Home

I don't want to say that I hate summer because that's like saying you hate Christmas. I'll just say I don't want to do anything when it's hot and kids running ammuck all day every day drive me crazy. So October is a big relief for me. I swear that's when I feel alive and functionable (not a word, should be) again. I actually look forward to sunny days and plan things. And actually do them. But this post is not about those things. Stay tuned.

A delivery of toilet paper came the other day and as I was trying to find a spot for 244 rolls of toilet paper, Erica thought she had stumbled upon a box of my-size squishy Legos.

Henry looked really old to me while he was pulling his shoes off so I took a picture. I feel like I got a glimpse of teenage Henry.

A few weeks ago I heard a mouse rummaging through my bedroom at night. If you know me or have followed this blog for any length of time you know I have a deep and equal level of hate and fear of mice. It's a hate/fear relationship. The first night it was into my necklaces, the second night I woke Justin up at 4 am because I could hear it scratching near this stuff in his side of the closet.

The next day I found a dried piece of bread in his open luggage. Apparently one of our children buries food like a puppy. I'm looking at you, Erica.

I removed the bread and every.single.crumb in our house, set up 3 more traps, replaced the weather stripping on our exterior doors (I went a little crazy that day. I should have put war paint on) then I sat and waited alone in my lit bedroom all night long for the sound of a snap trap to capture him. I watched him bypass the snap trap and run out of my room. (I should mention Justin was out of town so I was facing this mouse infestation on my own with only my absolute disgust and hatred to keep my fear in check.) The next night I slept on the couch. Then the next night I slept because Justin was home and I knew my new electronic mousetrap would protect me. But of course it was the snap trap in the storage room that finally did him in. I still wake at any and all sounds in the night because we all know mice like to tell their friends where to find bread in closets.

Sarah has been watching the kids in our neighborhood catch the bus in front of our house since she was a baby. I can't believe she is one of those kids now.

 If you leave your backpack out, Erica will put it on all by herself.

 I think she feels a little left out.

 This is what yogurt looks like in her hair.

 Erica loves her pumpkin bucket. I found Baby Cupcake in it one night after I put her to bed.

Between Saturday's sessions of conference, we got our wiggles out at a park nearby that I never take my kids to even though they ask all the time.

 Pure slide joy.

 Pure swing joy.

 Henry makes the cutest Lego guys and never wants to take them apart.

 I found this pig in my dresser. I'm leaving him.

Erica looked so cute in her fall leggings and boots so I tried to get a picture of her. She would not cooperate. But I've wanted a picture of her praying for months and this is close enough.

 And she's super cute so joke's on her.

I have to be really on the ball at putting dishes away right after dinner or Erica will wander back in and help herself to leftovers. Here she is scooping up some honeybutter.

I can't say that I blame her.

A Decade of Love: A Fall to Remember

Since our first date, Justin and I saw each other every day with the exception of like 6 days over the next 10 months. The next day after our first date he interrupted what would have been a boring night of laundry and took me to eat "real Mexican food" at what I thought was a sketchy place in Provo. Did you know real tacos don't have cheese or lettuce? Here was this boy shattering my entire culinary universe and opening my eyes to all sorts of delights like "carnitas," "barbacoa," "asada," "pica de gallo," "horchata". What a sheltered Taco Time/Rosarita life I had been leading.

I had to get used to going to taco shops where I was the only person that didn't speak Spanish. I had to get used to ruining my hair with a motorcycle helmet. I got a glimpse of his football and hunting obsession although a new girlfriend/full semester/full-time job kept it under wraps.

One evening in August we took a motorcycle ride up to Bridal Veil Falls and then onto Sundance. I remember holding his hand, talking, and having the thought, "I am going to marry him." The thought didn't scare me. The fact that it didn't alarm me was strange. It didn't make me giddy either. I don't know if I'd call it a decision, more of a realization. And at this point, I wasn't even in love with him.

I met his mother's entire family that September. It was at his grandpa's 80th birthday party. I smiled and made small talk with a lot of aunts. I didn't know anyone had as many aunts as me. And then when I met his grandpa, he pulled me close and said, "What are you with this boy for?" in a way only grandpas can. Justin and I smiled at each other. Man, was I gone.

I just wanted to be with him all the time. This long-haired boy with completely different interests than me. I would rather go to a museum, dress in DI clothes and go bowling, or bake cookies and watch Friends and here was this shaggy-haired, motorcycle riding, wakeboarder that captivated me. The only thing we had in common was how much we simply liked being with each other. And peanut butter cookies. And card games.

He thought I was funny, I thought he was fun.

This was the first picture of Justin my mom ever saw. I emailed it to her in Alaska. What she must have thought!

Being with him was the easiest, most natural thing in the world. There was no drama, no games, minimal misunderstandings. We seemed to always be on she same page about what we were and never had to have a "DTR" or "define the relationship" (Do kids still call them that?). I think that's why we got so serious so fast. There was nothing in our way. He was an open book and since we were so young, there wasn't a lengthy history for each of us to figure out. From ages 12-18 we had the same school, same friends, same memories. Even though we never spoke to each other during those years, our lives were already intertwined. We were so different in so many ways but so alike in everything that mattered.

Just a Few Milestones

Erica went to her first day of nursery a few weeks ago. I tried getting a picture of her with her first ever nursery coloring page.

But she didn't want anything to do it. That pretty much sums up her feelings for nursery.

 Henry started preschool. I'm 24 days late posting this. He must be a second child.

He is getting better about going. I still have to walk him all the way to the door of his classroom. Once he's settled he gives me a thumbs up sign which means I can go. Thumbs down means stay in the hall and watch me for a minute. We've still got a ways to go before he'll just let me drop him off at the curb but he's come a long way from hiding behind my legs and trying to follow me out.

Oh yeah, I had to promise him a surprise and a doughnut.  The second day it was a huge bag of Cheetos. Getting him to go that first week was like negotiating the demands of a terrorists, a terrorist that likes Cheetos.

Erica lets me do her hair but she wants it done like this. Then she pulls them all out and wants me to do it again.

 Last week Sarah had crazy hair day at school. This is the do Sarah and I made up as we went.

 I don't know how this helps keep her off drugs. I'll keep you updated.