Gawg!

My parents have an 8-week old bordercollie named Ruby. She's a smart pup! She rings a bell when she needs to go outside and wipes her feet when she comes back in. Bradshaw is constantly trying to pet her (whack!whack!) but they are still good friends. Ruby helped Bradshaw take down the child gate yesterday.
More of this doggie-duo to come.

In defense of the Bluebonnet State

Some people think Texas is ugly. Not me.
I've seen 46 of the fifty-nifty and have not found a place that can compete with Texas' thunderstorms or sunsets.

14 Months: Let the Mischief Begin...

Bradshaw's gross & fine motor skills exploded last month. Some of the implications include:

• removing the "childproof" locks from our cabinets
• opening doors. He pushes the Sacrament Meeting doors open for other little kiddies to escape. Or, when I'm in the middle of dressing, he unlocks the door and leaves it wide open as he rushes out.
• opening the fridge door (and inspecting the contents....Hmm, Mom this yogurt is dangerously near it's expiration!)
• using anything and everything as a tool...including my pink tweezers. He was holding them when I put him in his high chair for lunch and, immediately, they became chopsticks. He stoically & meticulously picked up every crumb and was smacking his lips in satisfaction. (FunNy!) Anyway, Mom & Pop got the picture and he now eats every meal with a fork.
• scribbling (Look at how he is holding it! Just like an adult. He adjusts the pen until it's just right.)
• trying to put on his own shoes & socks (Unlike his parents who trudge though snow in flip-flops to avoid "foot suffocation," Bradshaw loves wearing socks.)

Some other funnies:

• Kissing girls at church
• Interpreting emotions. (I said "Brrr" and shivered. Bradshaw immediately stuffed his pacifier in my mouth and hugged me.)
• Growling back at Dustinn

(Bradshaw's Great Great Grandma Orpha made this sweater.)

Let the Holidays Begin...

Bradshaw & I are now in Texas for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We arrived just in the nick of time for my sister Polly's basketball game. (She's #21, the cutie with the ball.)

I put Bradshaw to sleep right after we got home. Then I found a cozy spot and curled up on the couch. The living room was dark except for the light of the fire and Christmas tree. My dad had soft Christmas music playing. I'm so happy to be here.

I didn't know Bradshaw was such a SHOW-OFF until his friend Annie came over to play.
Gesturing & yelling, he hopped on his car and immediately crashed full-speed into the wall and sent himself sprawling across the carpet. He picked himself up and ran in circles like a gerbil.

I caught this sweet interaction:

1.You want to talk to Annie?

2.It's for you [she pushes the phone away]

3.[He tosses the phone] You don't have to talk on the phone if you don't want to.

"Autumn is a second spring; every leaf is a flower"

Since our apartment is surrounded by trees, we have really been spoiled by the fall colors. Sadly, this week all of our leaves are turning brown and falling. Bradshaw enjoys the acoustics of stomping on leaves...but I miss autumn already.

This was the view from Bradshaw's crib last week. When he wakes up from his nap he immediately asks for the trees (or, in other words, "Mom, pull up the blinds.")

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

-George Cooper

Belated Tag: 6 Random Things

I have this since August. Sorry my friend! Here are 6 random things about me:

-I once had the urge to weave. I used notched cardboard and twine for the loom and did a fall scene. In retrospect, the yellowy-orange yarn I used was spot on! Each time I look out the windows it reminds me of that weaving.

-Today the 13th Obama campaign representative knocked at our door. Out of breath, he asked if I had already been to the polls. I had, but I really admired his determination; he was utilizing every last moment to gain support for what he believed in.

-I cannot sleep without flossing. It's partially the fear of sugar goblins lurking between my teeth but, more crucially, I need to feel complete before I can relax.

-In 3rd grade, I won the pull-up contest for our school (i.e. meaning I did even more pull-ups than the 6th grade boys.) I still remember how it felt for my body to be so light and to be able to pull it up and lower it down so easily. It felt healthy, strong, limitless.

-I used to rollerskate in my backyard as a child. One day, the flat lawn became rolling waves of earth. It was an earthquake. I remember broken highways, power outages, weeks of missed school and many frightening aftershocks.

-Each morning, I recall what I dreamt about during the night.

I can only tag 6 people (there are SO many more I would like to tag!):
My daddy-O
Colton Pace
Brad Weinert
Deanna Jackson
Janina
Katy

Things For Which I Am Excited

I am excited for this day:

And for this day:

And ESPECIALLY for December 27th, when this girl marries this guy:

(Yes, my sister-in-law Elisse is marrying her long-time best friend Brad. And if things couldn't get any sweeter, they are getting married in the Washington D.C. temple!)


P.S. To make this post balanced, I want to say, I am not excited for the end of elections. I will miss the debates, campaign commercials, cspan & especially Tina Fey.

The Art of Imitation

(Sorry it's sideways. Anyone know a way to rotate .vob files?)