Sunday Thoughts

I think it would be funny if there were new rules about how people had to sit at church. I thought of this today as I was sitting on the stand. Rather than letting people pick were they say people would have to file in and be seated starting at the front of the building. Larger parties would get the longer rows. You had to start at the left and go to the right. Children would get their allotted space but no more. There couldn't be lots of space between parties.
I like it for several reasons. One- if a family of seven needs a spot and three people are sprawled across a whole row the family never makes them scoot over which I think is sad. Two- the more righteous you are, the further to the front you would be. It could be a sort of status thing. Now not only do the super important people go on the stand, the other important people are in the front. Those families that sit right on the end of the back row would be smack dab in the middle of the third row.
My family always sat in the front row at church. and we always got there late. So after the sacrament we would traipse in and take our spots. I personally believe we didn't earn those spots, but the super righteous Ogden family took a row further back. Maybe we could have earned the back row that the relief society president took.

Then maybe we could start the color coordination.
and have treats in relief society. I miss that awesome relief society teacher who would somehow always tie in fantastic treats with her lesson. Every pregnant and nursing woman's dream.
Mark likes sucking his food out of the holder. So disgusting. So awesome.
Danielle likes to do karate moves and help me sew. Tonight we made cookies and visited some people to give them away. and like every time I cook, I called my mom for directions. Hence the freak out and call mom picture in my kitchen.
next week I have to think of more perfect mom ideas- aka Brooke's worst nightmare. But Brooke sent me some of the most beautiful earrings in the world this week. They are red. I wore them to church this week. Love.

Someday spring will come. Until then- thank goodness for Vitamin D prescriptions.
Think about it- would you want to show up early? Maybe the lurking greeters would make better ushers.
Happy Sunday!

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Dress Up

I made Danielle an applique bunny shirt. She wore it to church on Sunday.

Last week Danielle had a friend visit. The first thing the three year old girl asked? "where are your dress up clothes. Well we don't have any little girl dress up clothes (except John's old Scouting hat which I don't know if that counts) but we do have theme style baby clothing.
It seems that all baby clothing has children featured as something else. I didn't get a good photo of Mark dressed up like a Robot. I LOVE Botodesigns.etsy.com and have a onesie from them. I will need some more soon though because Mark is a little chubster. I captured a funny Mark face while he was playing with his beloved peep dressed as a robot in his Robot onesie.
The next day we got a darling little giraffe outfit in the mail from my Mother. Pretty much all of Mark's clothes are from my mother. I can't believe he will let me put hats on him and doesn't have a screaming fit afterwards. he looks pretty cute in hats. Also why do I only get good photos of him in the night time? The first time I had a baby I saw a little onesie that said "I love mommy" and I cried. OK I was pretty newly pregnant at the time and a little crazy. Then I realized they were ALL OVER. But I liked putting it on Mark because he really does seem to love me more than anything. How fuzzy.

Of course Peter and Kathryn sent us this darling outfit so the next day I dressed Mark up as a lobster. Incidentally I will not eat Lobster. They totally gross me out. Have you ever seen a drawing of a lobster? Oh my goodness I can't think about it too much because it will give me nightmares.

On Sunday of course I had to dress him up as an old Man. Like any decent religious service ours is planned directly over a period of time when Mark is asleep. Though we had some cuter photos, this one captures Mark's expression about 90 percent of the time. He was nodding off and watching me and was just a little too sleepy to respond. I made the tie. At an earlier shooting of a different tie Mark was happier. I am selling real baby ties in my etsy shop. I made the first one while Carlie was visiting. I decided to make them a little longer though because Mark needs the double Windsor. Just because you are a baby doesn't mean you can single Windsor your tie. He seems to think it is the funniest and best chew toy in the world.

Then of course I had to dress him up as a monkey. I wouldn't actually say that Mark is very monkey like. This photo is from his crib. He loves soft minky fabric so we got him a minky sheet. He likes to sleep under a blanket. Also it seems like he is teething still. As in he is super fussy when he eats and doesn't calm down. Also not monkey like- Mark doesn't like bananas. What he does like is Pad Thai. He LOVES Pad Thai. Every now and then I grind up what we are eating for dinner for him and it was a huge hit. Probably not allergy friendly now that I think of it. Don't judge.

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Sunday Thoughts

Well Tuesday is the perfect day to have Sunday thoughts. After all, I went to a playgroup at the church. I think I didn't help pick up the toys enough. I hope they don't kick me out. Today was like the sabbath for me, if you mean not doing any work. I avoided vacuuming and cleaning up. I didn't do the dishes. Baby Mark was a complete fuss face. I love him dearly but that kid fusses when you don't hold him. I want one of those moby wrap things. Or a Mai Tei style carrier. The sling is OK and all- but it hurts my back.
Here are some thoughts I had on Sunday
1. I wonder what the other testimonies were like since Mark started screaming and can't eat with any noise.
2. Hooray- Danielle went on the potty at church!
3. Oh no- Danielle went on her skirt at church. Why don't I have an extra outfit for her?
4. Should I really go back to church with two children sans husband?
5. I wonder if they are going to give John a new calling since he doesn't play piano even though I told them he did.
6. Is my friend even pregnant? Her due date keeps moving around.
7. Can you stop harassing me about getting the visiting teaching numbers done? I know it's the easiest calling in the church but that doesn't mean I have it done yet. (I can only write this because now it is done.)

Mark finally reached for something. He was sitting in his bouncer and started reaching for something and crying. He doesn't ever really reach for things so I went over to see what he wanted. So my baby has finally selected a favorite toy. It is a stuffed animal peep. Oh a baby after my own heart. He likes to have it with him always and cuddle it. He bites his peep. He rolls over to go get it. Maybe this will spurn him to moments of baby greatness, like trying to sit up on his own or learning to hold things with his hands instead of throwing his face at them.
Next week I get to speak in church. On visiting teaching.
You know I taught at the MTC for over a year, why can't I have missionary work or something? I wonder if I should invite my friends.
Hopefully they will tell me it is amazing, even if it is a lie. I hope my friends can lie well enough to make me believe it. I wonder if Mark will start screaming halfway through.
Only if it's bad, I hope.

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Miss

I miss this little smiler.
He likes to play.
He gets excited easily.
He likes to stand up and bounce.
He grabs things that he wants.
He is huge.
He calms himself with a pacifier.
He lays next to Mark and they grab each others' arms.
He smiles at me.

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Marriage Course Lesson 2- Competition

People say that competition is bad. The John and Janae Marriage Rocks program begs to differ. Competition is awesome. Hello- how long have the Olympics been around? A Long Time. Because being the best is totally worth it.
Now sometimes competition can be bad for a marriage- like when you are competing to see who can go the longest without putting laundry away. Believe me I have tried that and it never goes well for me. I have had much more luck with who can ignore the dishes longer. This winning spirit made me a little embarrassed when my sister in law came to visit and did all my dishes. Embarrassed and thrilled.
Our course recommends against competing with each other, and turns rather to a couple's style competition. Like the amazing race which I have never watched so it might not actually be like that. Don't compare everything, just pick extra special things.
After people leave your home you can say to the closed door "Our marriage totally kicks your marriage's A@#." No joke. Your husband is your best friend? Her husband is "the best friend, companion, lover, and husband in the world for me." ? Well that reminds me of a song by Akon about his Homie, Lover, Friend. How exactly do you know your husband is the best lover? There is no Olympics for that I hope. Is your husband really your best friend? You also claimed he was the cheapest man on the planet.
One word people: Bestest.
I remember visiting a friend who lived in an apartment with Newlyweds downstairs. Extremely loud newlyweds. They like to yell. Once when we were visiting the scandalous noise started almost right after they told us how awkward it was. He turned to her and said "oh we could take them." Yes, experience and competition.
This competition can be dangerous though, as I learned when I was told that my husband did more household chores than most husbands. Shame on you, other husbands. This is not the true spirit of competition. Do you do more chores than every husband in the world? Maybe not.
It is said that Shakespeare could not have created his works in a different society. London was one of the most critical theater going environments at his time. If people aren't performing you just can't compete against them and rise to marital greatness. The Gold Medal of happiness and togetherness.
John and I are better at talking about feelings.
John and I are better at not favoring each other in games.
John and I are better at getting each other awesome gifts.
John and I are better at painting.
John and I are better at managing our children.
John and I are better at speaking German.
John and I have a better insurance rate.
John and I are better at saving for our children.
John and I are better drivers.

All of these things apply to different couples, but are true.

For this experience write down the names of all of your couple friends. Now write one sentence of what you do better than they do.
If you come across a name you can't think of anything for, fall back on being better homies.


image source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2009/10/01/2009-10-01_global_warming_could_make_2016_olympics_the_last_games.html

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