Talmage Jack

Kayli had her baby this morning at 4:37 AM. It IS a boy and they named him Talmage Jack Bell. He was 7 lbs 8 oz and 21 3/4 in long, with reddish-brown hair. Kayli is insane and didn't have an epidural by choice. I'll let her tell more though.

My icecream flavor

Another quiz, but hey--it has to do with icecream. It says I'm "impulsive and impatient as a kid who can't wait for the cookies to come out of the oven. You treat life like a nonstop slumber party, and you like to keep things simple and silly. You scream at horror movies and laugh your butt off at comedies, but you probably can't sit still for a long, boring drama. To some people, you come across as immature, but so what? Your playful personality means you'll stay forever young."

What, immature???? Now that's just rude. Forever young, I like that better.

And by the way, I like dramas.

a few things

Hazel has had a vicious cold the last few days, and every afternoon she has fallen asleep on the couch. That's pretty amazing for the one who seems to need the least sleep of all our kids. But anyway, I wanted to post this picture because although Jethro has been sporting the milk-band-bracelets for more than a year now, Hazel only recently wanted to do it (for more than an hour or two at a time). So we bought 1% milk (ewwww-the nastiness!) just for her, so she could have a pink bracelet. :)
And in between the days where I have no energy or motivation to do anything whatsoever, I have days that are high-energy/high-motivation, and I do things like make my first receiving blanket. Isn't it cute? Okay, you don't really have to do much at all, pick out the fabric, turn down the edges and sew with a cute zigzag stitch, but still--all my other receiving blankets were received from others. I was sewing it when my sister Amy called, and she said, "So, you're pretty convinced that it's a boy." Well....I guess, but the not knowing is growing harder and harder to bear every day.
And today I wanted to join the cool mom club and so I made myself this nursing cover (the kind where it goes around your neck and bows out so you can peek in at your baby). Actually, not because it's cool and trendy, but because it could come in really handy, so I found this tutorial and thought it would be fun. And it was. And it only cost me $6.99 and a couple hours this afternoon. (As opposed to $35 for the same thing here.) It looks enormous on Hazel of course, but there was no way I was going to model it because I am far too pregnant for any more pictures of myself. It's obscene how far my belly pokes out these days.

I thought it was funny when my sister Andrea called and said, "You have to stop talking about how cute Ethne is, because Emeline is acting like such a terrible-two-year-old these days," and I was like....yeah--I hear you! So we were talking about how our girls are constantly into things they shouldn't be. I mean, every second of the day, if Ethne is not asleep or in my sight (and often when she is in sight), she is pulling out stuff from a drawer that she shouldn't be, or dragging out food or other things she shouldn't be. You could follow her around all day picking up after her. The other morning she rubbed my only two tubes of lipstick into the carpet. Which is never going to come out (which is not the biggest deal in the world since we'll be replacing the carpet before we sell the house), but still! However, that may not be as bad as Elena's trick--which was to get out of the tub, and poo all the way down the hall and into the front room and onto all the cords by the computer desk. Kami and I chatted on the phone that night as Kami cleaned it up. And Andrea said that Emeline found a cup the other day and was in the bathroom scooping cups of water out of the toilet and alternately pouring it out on the floor and drinking it. Awesome! So, maybe it IS good that the three of them don't get to be together much. That amount of trouble magnified by three? Couldn't be good.

Misc. pictures

First off, sorry about the lame car stuff post-- Brett wanted me to post the pictures so he could link to them for his mercedes forums. I told him he should get his own blog for all of his projects, I think he'd have fun, but I doubt he'll do it.

So, I haven't really been coming up with much to blog about lately, and then last night I was looking through some pictures, so I thought I would just show some pictures that I don't think I've shown before. Back in the days when my kids were younger. Sniff sniff. So here they are. Some are my favorites, some are funny, and some just happened to catch my eye when I was looking.

I'm a very superior wife!

I know, because I took this test and it said so!

87 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

I was a little worried, because I don't get breakfast for my husband, I wear pajamas to bed and not a nightgown, I often come to bed late when husband is almost asleep, but I found out that the more kids you have, the higher score you get, so luckily that helped me out (and I put 4, since I'm almost there).

I took the husband quiz on Brett's behalf, and he is very superior too.

104 As a 1930s husband, I am Very Superior Take the test!

He doesn't phone when he'll be late for dinner, and he argues with or curses other motorists, but after all, he is a careful driver, handy about the house, his children are pleased at his arrival home, and he gives me real "movie" kisses and not dutiful "pecks" on the cheek. :)

Car Stuff

Adorable Ethne

This is my daughter Ethne and she's adorable.
After I posted her silly faces the other day and mentioned how it's so much easier getting a silly face than a good smile, I decided it was about time I tried for some good smiles. Plus, she's only going to be the baby for just a little while longer! And then too, I never need much reason to go take pictures. :) I thought she looked so cute but at first she would NOT smile at all, but THANKS to Jethro (thank you thank you thank you Jethro!), we got some really good ones!
Doesn't she look sooo grown up in this picture on the swing?!

Oh, that happy smile just makes me want to kiss those cheeks to death! (She was laughing at Jethro, who was throwing himself to the ground.)

And a few more shots (including one with a finger in the nose.) ;)

my day

This was what I found last night when I went in to Ethne's room after I'd put her to bed, and she'd been crying for a while. Crazy little nakie.
And this is her, kicked-back and relaxed, eating dinner.

So yesterday, I had a long day in the kitchen, and now in my freezer there are: 2 (gallon size) bags of waffles, 1 bag of cookies (not essential but definitely favorable), 2 bags of white chili, 1 big bag of jambalaya, I don't know for sure how many bags of rolls, and 2 bags of twice baked potatoes. I also made bread, but for immediate use. I actually thought I would get more done, but rolls take a long time. Then I was going to make just a few more dinners today (hamburger and chicken ones) but I didn't. Instead, some friends came over and we went to the pool, and it was really fun and relaxing. Jethro LOVES swimming and Ethne got into it more today than she ever has. It was really fun.

Tonight at dinner we were having Ethne say a couple words, like apple and banana. Then we said, "Say Jethro," and she said, "Nana," (banana), and we all laughed our heads off, so then of course she thought she was so funny so she did it over and over. Funny little kid. We had a wonderful dinner of corn on the cob, tomatoes, and zucchini, all from our garden. We had the tomatoes on toast and it was delicious.

And these are pictures of what Brett has been working on the past several days. I don't know what they are, but maybe some male readers will find them interesting. The first one is the hole, before the parts are put in.

Brett wanted me to take a picture of the part below. I think he made it.


And that's how it fits on.
Yeah, any questions? Too bad. :)

Sunday ramblings

This girl makes me laugh about 100 times a day. She is soooo silly. And it's much easier to get pictures like these than it is to get one of her with a regular smile. Crazy girl.

Yesterday there was a ward breakfast to celebrate Pioneer Day, and it was very nice. Then we came home and Brett worked on the car the rest of the day. He told me to come out and take pictures of the stuff he was working on, so I took a few, but I don't know what they are or anything, so I'll just post this one of him working.

And this was me today. I told Brett to take a couple pictures, and he took some, and I said to take some more, and he said, "sheesh--I've already taken about 10--how many do you need?" Obviously he doesn't understand that you take many, MANY pictures so that you can make sure to get one that you really like. This is why the day digital cameras were invented was the best day of my life. :)
And here's another one because I think it shows my belly better. Just kidding, it's totally not because of that at all--it's really because I thought the back of my hair looked cute. Ha ha! Yes, I am vain enough to post a picture for that reason and retarded enough to admit it. :)
Today was nice, except I got to play one of my favorite songs in Sacrament mtg. (It's God of our Fathers), and I even switched it from last week to this week so I would be here, and then the bishop told us to only play one verse. Ruff. Oh well, I suppose I will recover.

In other news, I'm pretty proud of my primary kids. They have been singing so well for me! Earlier they learned 'Called to Serve' and did so great, and then today we worked on a song, and I was giving them points out of 10 for how well they did, and every single kid was trying so hard! It was fun. Not that I'll really miss being the chorister too much when the real person comes back. Except Brett said today, after I mentioned how excited I was for their wonderful singing, "What if they don't sing it that well for the program?" and I thought, "I would really feel kinda sad." Anyway. I will be holding a baby, so I probably won't even get to listen too closely. ;)

Jethro got stung by some kind of bug yesterday at the brunch, he says it wasn't a bee, and today his foot was really swollen. Poor guy.

I guess that's all I've got. I think tomorrow I will try to make some meals to freeze, as well as bread because we're out. Sounds like a good time, doesn't it?

What's been on my brain

Ha ha....funny funny funny. :)
So, what has been on my brain? Well, although it would be tormenting to go over your due date, I think that having had babies early previously brings its own kind of frustrating mind games. For example, if you are due in say, 4 weeks, but previously you've had babies 3 and 2 weeks early, you can kindof consider yourself due in one or two weeks. But you don't really want to bank on that too much, because then maybe you'll jinx yourself and actually go to your due date. So, you can start preparing, but not seem too eager.... it's a very delicate game.

Anyway, I don't really think I have too much to do to prepare. I just have to move the card table in my room to the shed and find a place for the boxes underneath it so I can put the pack and play (aka baby's bed) there. Other than that, I pretty much just wait. Or should I be doing something? Anyone, anyone? Is there anything that I should be doing now that I'll think of after I've had the baby and wonder why in the world I didn't do it before I had the baby? I asked Kami that question today and she said, in her infinite postpartum wisdom, "Sleep. Just sleep."

It's actually pretty exciting to know that in a couple weeks we'll meet our new kid. But first you have to, you know, deliver it. And you have to stay at the hospital for a little while, which has it's goods and bads.

Goods:
1.They bring food to you in your bed. And I know that lots of people say hospital food is gross, but I've always found it very tolerable. Good in fact, when you factor in that you didn't have to prepare it and you don't have to do the dishes.
2. They let you lie in bed all day, and don't expect you to do anything (except feed your baby).
3. Your (other) kids get to come visit you in all their cuteness and excitement, but as soon as they start being loud and annoying, they get whisked away again.
4. You have a little button you can push to ask for things you want, and they'll bring it to you.

Bads:
1. They come poke and prod and squish your belly a lot, which is very awful.
2. People are always coming in and out, especially right when you get to sleep. First it's the nurse to do above item, then your doctor, then the pediatrician, then the nun to ask how you're doing, etc. (This time though, I'm going to be firm--no nun, no photographer asking me if I want him to take awful pictures that he'll charge an exorbitant amount of money for, no one who isn't absolutely necessary!)
3. Everything smells hospitalish--even yourself.
4. You're not feeling your greatest.

But the ultimate good is of course, your new baby and it makes it all worthwhile. :) Another thing that crosses my brain sometimes is the question of whether or not my baby will have red hair.

Today I went to a few garage sales and hit a great one for boys clothes. I totally got stocked up for Jethro for next year (or maybe this spring if he has a growth spurt?). 11 shirts, one pair of pants, and one pair of shoes ---all really nice stuff--for $13.75. Sweet.

So when we got home I was trying on some of them to see if they would fit, and afterwards, Jethro came into the front room without a shirt on, and was dancing around like an African bushman, and it was really funny. I wish I could post the video I took, but alas, I cannot. This picture is so funny to me though. I think it looks like he's trying to be a model. Oh, funny.

Today Jethro and Hazel were being ornery, so they had to go to bed at 6:30 (which is an hour and a half before their bed time). Jethro was pretty darn sad, but I told him that's the breaks when you make bad choices. And when Brett got home I took Ethne for a long walk. Now I think I shall soak in the tub for a while.

zucchini recipes

Here's the Zucchini Tomato Casserole recipe I mentioned a while back. I'll just copy it how it is, and you can feel free to make any changes you desire. I think it would be good with some yellow summer squash in it too.

6 medium zucchini, diced (about 6 cups)
4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed process cheese (Velveeta)
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried basical
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

In a large skillet, saute zucchini in 2 Tbsp butter until crisp-tender (very important--I don't think it would be nearly as good if you make it too mushy); drain well. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir in the zucchini and remaining butter. Transfer to an ungreased 2-qt baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Also, I made this really great zucchini bread yesterday from a recipe I got here. It is very very delicious. I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour in it. I really liked it and Brett liked it, but then I thought it needed something. So I made some thin cream cheese icing, and "buttered" my bread with it. TASTY! (So yeah, I make bread with zucchini and applesauce and whole wheat flour, and then I add icing.)

This evening we went to a potluck get-together for Pioneer Day and it was fun. They had homemade rootbeer and man, did it hit the spot. Mmmm, mmmm. It was a nice cool day and the kids had fun playing at the playground. At one point Ethne came up to me with no shorts on and no diaper, and only one sandal. Crazy kid. We had to go fetch her diaper out of the dirt and put it back on. She is so funny lately. She's always in silly moods and will laugh and laugh at the slightest provocation. It's so fun.

Jethro was the the oldest kid there, and I was thinking how old I'm getting. I remember when we moved here, when Jethro was a baby barely one year old, and I met a family who had 4 kids and the husband was graduating with his PhD the next semester and they were still living in these little apartments, and I just couldn't believe that they had been here that long. Long enough to have four kids! And now, in just a few weeks, we will be them. Four kids. How did this happen? I just know that the new young couples with one BYU baby moving in to start graduate school are looking at us thinking, '4 kids--wow! they're so old,' when really just a day ago we were there. Life is weird that way.

What else? Oh, we had another narrow escape yesterday from buying a vehicle. Brett sent me an e-mail from school with a link to a Travelall on Ebay, and he said, "This is a gem! Let's go get it!!!!" Brett's been itching to buy a Travelall lately (because you know, it's been approximately .3 years since his last vehicle purchase (which was his motorcycle)) and customize it to be just how he wants it. I e-mailed back and said sure, as long as we can buy a minivan for me. He scoffed at that of course, because the Travelall will BE like a minivan---only cooler! He would never stoop to buy such an unoriginal vehicle as a minivan. But what he doesn't want to realize is that it really wouldn't be my vehicle, it would be HIS work-on aka play-with vehicle (oh wait, aren't all of our vehicles?). Anyway, it all came to nothing because someone bought it. Thank you, ebay gods!!! :) I told him he's no longer allowed to look at Travelalls until he has a [real] job. Who thinks he will listen?

Crushed

On my way to my doctor's appointment a while back, I saw this beautiful field of flowers and I really wanted to take pictures of the kids there. But it was on the far side of town, so I had to have a good excuse to drive over there. So before we went to the fair, I told them we had to take pictures first. Well, it did NOT go well at all.

First of all, Hazel started crying and whining and saying that she couldn't walk into the field because it was scratchy, and I, being a very loving and understanding good mother, told her to stop being so wussy.

Then I had time to snap a handful of pictures---seriously hardly ANY--before some guy came and kicked us out (don't tell Brett, he'd probably be appalled). Ruff. I really didn't know anyone would mind us being there. So, anyway, I was crushed with the lousy time we had, but what can you do. I had envisioned so much more! So, if anyone around here has seen any fields that are similar to this--please call and tell me where!!!