Gotta Love Dr. Laura!

So, last night Tyler came back from taking the missionaries home (we fed them dinner) and said something to Lydia about having a treat for mommy.  Naturally, I was curious and excited to find out what it was.  After the kiddos went to bed, I got my treat, which was unexpected and amaaaaazing.  Tyler just sat and brushed my hair for at least 20 minutes!  You ladies out there know how fabulous it is to have someone brush your hair!  

It turns out he had been listening to Dr. Laura on the way home from work and she was giving some guy advice, part of which was to brush his wife's hair.  Then she stopped and made some comment about how all women love to have their hair brushed, and Tyler took it to heart.  He checked when he got home and found that I didn't own a regular brush, only a round brush, so he had to stop at the store buy one on the way back from taking the Elders home.  What a sweet and thoughful husband I have.  What made it more thoughtful on his part is that he is getting sick, so he didn't really feel that great but he still took the time to make me feel loved and appreciated.  I love him so much!  Thanks babe!!!

Office Advice

Just a little tid-bit from Lydia tonight ... I asked her what I thought was a simple question. She mulled it over for a moment then looked at me and said, "I'm gonna go away now." And then she ran off. I thought to myself, "Wow! What a great response." Now I'm wondering if this is something I could use at work. It reminds me of a Brian Regan segment about politicians not taking any questions. So, next time you're asked a difficult question, or one that you just don't feel like answering, you can follow Lydia's lead and just say you're gonna go away now and then run off. I'll try it tomorrow. 

A Week of Firsts

This week has been a week of firsts, starting with Luke deciding to sit up unsupported for more than 2 seconds at a time.

Today I attempted to put Lydia's hair into pig tails for the first time.  She still has somewhat of a mullet but I think it looks pretty cute.

And yesterday we brought home our first loveseat.  What a week, and it's only Wednesday!

Hallelujah!

Lydia is currently upstairs entertaining Luke, who is in his crib.  They are alternately shrieking and laughing at each other, and occasionally she pops up yelling "peek-a-boo!" over the side of his crib.  I stopped doing dishes and went in their room trying to be a part of the fun, but Lydia told me emphatically, "you go back downstairs and wash the plates right now!"  (She said this both times I attempted to crash the party.) This could be the start of something beautiful--my children actually playing together without me in the middle of it all!!!

In other news, my mom, sister, and sister-in-law were here this weekend for "Girls Weekend."  It was fabulous--good food, better company, and we also saw the Broadway play "Wicked," which was wicked awesome!  It's been a long time since I've been to a musical and it was fun to see one again.  I also enjoyed spending time with the girls only--no kids allowed.  We live so far apart that we don't see each other often, and never without kids, so it was a great break for all of us.  Thank you husbands for watching the kids (or in Dad's case, being home alone!)  I have a great family and I love them so, so much!

This Week in Retrospect

This week has felt really busy to me, but now that I stop to think about what I accomplished it doesn't seem like much.  Really, what DID I do this week?

I think a lot of it was spent attempting to clean my house.  The good thing about our counter tops and kitchen flooring is that it hides dirt really well.  So well, in fact, that when I actually stop and look at it closely I see all the nastiness that has accumulated on those surfaces.  So, at least I got the floor mopped and the counter tops cleaned.  For some reason, they keep getting dirty again!  It can't be my kids, they are clearly very concerned about staying clean while they eat.  (This is Luke enjoying his first Biter Biscuit.)

Tuesday night I worked from 7p-1a, and it was pretty busy.  I came home from work discouraged because I felt like I had ignored one of my patients for a long time, and I could tell the family was frustrated at all the waiting they had to do.  I hate feeling like I've given sub-standard care--it really bothers me.  It's hard to balance all your patients when you have a very needy patient with needy family members also.  It can suck you in and it feels like it takes 30 minutes just to go in and give the patient some ice water. Often the 'squeaky wheel gets the grease' and unfortunately some other patients get put on the back burner for a while.  For all of you who have had bad ER experiences, just know that the nurses are trying to take care of you the best they can!  I worked on Saturday and was able to balance my patient load much better, so I felt better about my nursing abilities after that!

Friday I did some yard work and then Tyler and some of his friends, Justin and Kari, went for a 20 mile bike ride while I watched the kiddos, five in all.  The kids were great and the riders had a good time.  We had some pizza and salad and just hung out for a while after that.  It was a very enjoyable Friday.  

Last night, Tyler and I went to a Portland Trailblazers game for our monthly date night.  It was fantastic!!  The energy in the building is amazing, especially since it was a close game at the end.

We met some friends from Salem, Brett and Julia, there (they actually got the tickets for us) and it was great to get to spend time with them as well.  Date nights are great!

Today we forgot about daylight savings time and woke up 15 minutes before church started. Needless to say, we got there late.  We then came home from church and had nap time, followed by a little interview with Lydia.  Two great quotes from this interview are: (pointing to Luke) 

"That my brother, his name is Cinco."   (This is also the name of her baby doll and I think the only number in Spanish that she can remember.)

When asked how old she is, she replied "I be two."  Yes, we are teaching her to speak Ebonics so that she can go visit Uncle Aaron in Detroit on his mission and fit in with the peeps on the street. Congrats to Aaron on his call--Detroit Michigan Spanish speaking!

Lydia during a tickle attack tonight