Frequencies for a Wednesday

I used about 80 billion tissues before my nose and eyes stopped running shortly after 3:00 PM.

Oliver J. fell and bonked his head exactly 17 times.

Jesse is currently eligible for 9 PA programs.

We witnessed 1 questionable sillhoette of Nicolas Cage today while we were watching City of Angels. (YIKES!)

Oliver has 2 adorable teeth. I like how they look on him.

Our Breakfast Flavor

We eat cereal for breakfast. Every morning. Unless, on VERY rare occasion, Jacque stays at our house and makes breakfast for us. I've done this forever. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could pour my own bowl of cereal when I was 3 or 4. I'm not exaggerating.

As I was snapping some 'just because' pictures of Oliver J, I realized that he was holding a plastic spoon and tub of cereal and laughed as I thought, "I guess we're starting him early."

My Son Likes to Share

He likes to share a lot.

He likes to share your food, any beverage that you might currently be sipping from, and consequently his illnesses.

Currently all of the residents of Cottage 5 are enjoying the long lasting symptoms of a cold.

Simply put, I deserve the 'Mother of the Year' award for my saintly attitude about it all. That's me being facetious.

I'm grumpy and whiny and impatient. Unfortunately so is my friend Oliver, and we are having to learn to coexist together.

My baby has always been so easy. I think we are just making up for lost time.

When I start too dwell on how miserable I think I am, I realize how miserable Ollie must be, and feel so guilty. Though in a strange way, I'm also grateful to be sick if it means that I know how my poor little one is feeling, otherwise I wouldn't appreciate the smiles he's still cracking.

I'm also grateful to Jesse for taking care of both of us.

Guess What!

Butter me up and call me a biscuit! My new apartment has a dishwasher!!!

This is a beautiful thing.

An Angle in Ambivalence

Earlier this afternoon Oliver J. followed a dusty pile of cereal, which had previously been discarded from the high chair tray by clumsy fingers, on his hands and knees as I pushed it around the kitchen floor with the broom. It was a cut throat game of cat and mouse. Two constructive swipes of the broom and then a defensive stroke to move the pile away from the Oliver baby who was effectively stalking his cheerio prey.

I didn't mind that my chores were taking 3 times longer to complete than usual. I'm just so glad that I didn't miss the moment because I was in a hurry or out of the house.

May will be here quicker than I know it, and I will be called away by school and possibly even work. I'm looking forward to it all and I know that these actions will help my family to be successful. I know how much I've regretted the time I wasted in the past and how often I prayed that I would have another chance to complete my education. I watched all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place within a week of our decision to move to Cedar City so that my Bachelor's degree could be pursued while we wait for other facets of our lives to pan out. I truly believe that a way was prepared. 

Nevertheless, sometimes, when I ponder the small but memorable daily Ollie triumphs I will miss and the quiet moments with my baby that I stand to lose, my resolve weakens just a little. 

 Photos by Bree

What Kinda Beans?

"Red beans, black beans, Boston baked and blue.

Cocoa, Coffee, Kidney beans, Pinto and Jelly too!"

If you talk to my sister about beans she'll quote "Into the Woods." Try it sometime.

If you talk to me about beans I'll probably ask if I can read a story to you...one I like to call Skippyjon Jones. (You should really let me read it to you.)

But now I'm rambling...

You know how I used to hate beans? No, I don't mean the green ones... the really super healthy ones that are full of fiber...

Well, one day I started eating them on my Cafe Rio pork salad...I found they were bearable.

Then I started receiving beans for free...so I figured I should use them.

I made pork salads. I made chili. I searched recipes. A lot of recipes. And I ate them.

(the beans I mean, not the recipes.)

I learned to like them. CRAZY! I know!

Then ShaNeil introduced me to her delectable taco soup and I was hooked. I vowed always to have beans in my pantry.

So today when I went to Kent's for the case lot sale (yes, my third case lot sale in the past six months...I think I'm addicted.) I bought beans. A lot of beans. Five cases to be exact.

Now I can make as much taco soup as I want. But don't worry, they don't expire until 2014...I've got plenty of time.

Don't judge me.

Lounge Lizards

Ollie Pop and Jesse watching Mythbusters in the morning.