So Much To Say, So Little Nap Time

yours truly at Bear Lake

Eve is awake right now in her crib. She missed her morning nap, and now it seems, she will skip the afternoon one as well. She was taking naps really well there for a while. Oh well. At least she's not crying, right?

fruits of our labor

Yesterday Eve turned 8 months old. Yes, Time does pass quickly, but my baby does not grow so fast! She is currently wearing 3-6 month size clothing, and is probably around 14.5 pounds. She is just a tiny thing! But I don't think she's too far behind. I'm hoping that by a year she'll be around 17 or 18 pounds (average is 20). I'd be happy with that.



This past month has been much busier than I anticipated! Well, that's not entirely true; I knew it would be busy, but I was much more overwhelmed than I had planned on being. My good friend Starr was married over Labor Day weekend, and I went down early to help prepare. Marina and Necia, my other good friends from high school came and it was the first time we'd all been together for a long time! Marina came up and spent a night in Logan with us too. Then I hosted book club and a baby shower at my house the next week. We also made a trips to Bear Lake and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and this past weekend I spent preparing my primary lesson, preparing a Sharing Time lesson, and building a compost bin out of wooden pallets. I also made peach jam, raisins, four different pie fillings, and dehydrated a ton of fruit, tomatoes and herbs. I do not want to see another fruit or veggie for a while. Unless someone else cooks it for me. We also purchased a quarter of a Steer from a local rancher here, and ate some steak last night. It was soooo yummy! It was so much more fresh and tender, and looked and smelled amazing. Although I will never love Logan itself, I LOVE MY LIFE! And I'm ready for a vacation! Two weeks until we're in Illinois!

ibis and other neat birds from the refuge

cute!!!

Pie Wins!

Yeah, pie pretty much is one of the best reasons to stay alive. Family is definitely my personal numero uno, but pie and other baked delights are in my Top Ten. If you can't tell, I am of the "live to eat" variety, and quite frankly, I'm glad. Richie was trying to explain to me the other day how he forgets to eat. He might as well have spoken martian, it was so out-of-this-world incomprehensible to me.

Not much else to speak of at the moment. I gave you all my good stories in the previous entry. So here are some cute pictures of Eve. I hope they make your day a little happier.

Happenings

I haven't updated my captivated audience for a while because we have been very busy, and have many stories to tell! I can't relate all of them right now, especially because it is late and I won't do them justice, but here are a few to correspond with pictures. Enjoy!

Story Un: Smokey Skies

Earlier this week there was a thunderstorm, and the lightening started a forest fire near Bountiful, about 80 miles south of us. Eve and I spent the early afternoon at the Cache County Fair manning the La Leche League's Breastfeeding Cafe (yay National Breastfeeding Week!). It was a pleasant, mild day. When I got home I noticed an eerie, apocalyptic glow in my living room and went outside to see the east sky against the mountains beautiful, sunny and clear, and the west sky brown, smoky and tempestuous. The sun was red, and looked really freaky reflected in our flooded garden:

Story Deux: C.O.P.S.

This is the condensed tale of our next door neighbor, Bruce; a nice man with a sad history. He is a Vietnam Vet suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and in the past few years has become very reclusive and paranoid. While we are not afraid that he will hurt us, he has told us somewhat scary stories of people breaking into his house, police fights and other assorted things.

Several months ago I received a phone call from a neighbor across the street asking if I knew that there was a cop in my front yard with a semi-automatic rifle. As soon as she said that I knew it had to do something with Bruce. I looked out the kitchen window, where there was indeed a cop with a large gun, and there were also several in our backyard similarly equipped. Down our street was a row of five (5) cops cars, an ambulance and a fire truck, with cops and lawyers running around the whole block.

Turns out, Bruce had the flu and had tried to starve it out of himself. When that didn't work, he contacted the police for help, but he has a strained history with the Logan Police, every time they respond to his calls they have to be "prepared" for anything, hence all the cops everywhere with drawn weapons. His door was locked and they kept yelling to Bruce through the windows that he needed to open the door, but he was too weak to move. Finally he managed to unlock the door and they took him to the hospital.

Well, a week ago this morning Richie and I awoke to the sound of smashing glass at 3:30 AM. It went on for quite a while and sounded like someone smashing hundreds of glass botttles. We tried to see what was going on, but it was too dark. We then heard someone moving around, but then that stopped. We were trying to decide what to do. It was bothering me that I hadn't called the cops, when about 15 minutes later they did come, quietly, but again swarmed our house and yard with rifles and flashlights, tyring to figure out what was happening. They entered Bruce's house, and after a while we saw someone wheeled out to an ambulance. Then we saw the cops talking to our neighbor on the other side of Bruce, and Richie went out to talk to them. Our neighbors had called the cops when they heard the smashing glass, and when they arrived, they found Bruce in their driveway covered in blood, holding a board. He bled all over their stoller and other stuff and was totally incoherent. The cops asked Richie what he heard, and if he had heard other people besides Bruce at his house. They also said that they thought he was in California (rumor was that his son was going to put him in a psych assisted living facility), which was odd because we had heard that he was in jail, and that the police had impounded his car. Now we don't know where he is or what is going on.

The moral of the story is that his house is for sell, and someone can get it for really, really cheap. And I know what it feels like to film an episode for C.O.P.S. "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?..."

Story Trois: Dam It!

So you can't tell from the picture, but this little gem of a resevoir has some great cliff jumping on the east side of the lake. July 25th all the Petersons, my parents, and Richie's uncle Larry and his two kids descended upon us here in Logan and had a family get together. All the men played golf in the morning, then we met up for lunch, swimming, cliff jumping, then came back to our place for a weenie roast and potluck. It was a great time together except for one incident at the lake that sort of put the kibosh (spelling?) on our nautical fun.

Just as we were arriving, another group was setting up a zip line that ran from a tree up on a cliff to the opposite beach, the intent being that you let go and fall into the water half way between the two shores. The line was above all the cliff jumping spots, probably between 150-200 feet, and ran about 10-15 feet over land before it came to the water. Richie, his two cousins, his sister and niece, and myself all swam over to do some jumping. We had taken a jump from about 10 feet and wanted to go higher. Richie and his cousin Josh were on the edge of the cliff and I was back a little ways, when I heard everyone start to scream. Richie and Josh were both wearing shocked faces. A boy had started down the zipline, only to have something malfuntion and he fell before he reached the water. He had landed on a pile of loose rocks and shale from 200 feet up and them flopped into the water. For a good half minute no one could see him. People were yelling "Someone just died!" "Call 911!" "I'm gonna be sick, I can't believe I just saw someone die!" Everyone was shocked and were all just standing at the edge of the cliffs, looking down. I tried to get to the water, but was blocked. I know CPR and remember bits and piece of emergency First Aide from my lifeguarding days, plus I'm a strong swimmer, so I wanted to help. But quickly enough about six guys jumped into the water and went to the kid.

He never lost consciouness, but he didn't make noise at all. He had compound fractures in both legs, and must have ended up losing a lot of blood, but he was so much in shock that he never screamed or cried or anything. In fact, he joked around with the EMTs when they finally arrived 45 minutes later. Meantime, the boy had to wait in the water because no one had a big enough board to serve as a body board.

I didn't see the fall itself, but I heard it and saw the resulting drama. Richie and Josh both saw it, and Richie said it was really disturbing to watch, in part because it didn't look real to watch a body fall from that height and hit ground. He felt like he was watching a movie. Needless to say, though everything turned out alright (as much as can be in that situation), it dampened the mood quite a bit. After about 45 minutes people resumed jumping, but it didn't have the same lighthearted thrill to it. I felt especially bad for Josh. He is 16 and really excited to do something so crazy as cliff jumping, since he is from Illinois where there are no cliffs. He wanted to earn major bragging rights, which I can't blame him, though he will still have a pretty good story to tell all his buddies when school starts again.

Nicole wasn't there, and it wasn't until several weeks later that I told her the story. "Wow," she said, "that's pretty crazy. Do you want to know the rest of the story?" She then told me about a missionary couple at the MTC that she has been tutoring in Greek in preparation for their mission to Greece. She doesn't know Greek but was using a new tutoring system. The MTC found a Greek tutor for them the last week they were there, so Nicole didn't get to see them leave. A week or so later, she ran into a coworker that asked if she had heard what happened to the Bells. She said "No." The other tutor then said that they had to postpone leaving for Greece because their son was seriously injured in a zipline accident at a lake near Logan two Saturdays ago! Nikki started freaking out because she knew we were there that day! Isn't that crazy? Everything is connected, someway or another. I guess Scotty Bell is still in the hospital in critical but stable condition.

Story Quatre: In Which I Am The Most Amazing Cook Ever and Bake a Pie With Buttery, Perfectly Flaky Crust and A Filling of Freshly Picked Local Raspberries, and We Eat It All, and It Is Incredible, Amazing, Lifechanging; Richie Begs For Another Pie, and I Make a Second Pie That Is Equally Awesome and I Fear That My Superpower Will Now Be Used For Evil Instead Of Good But I Must Not Let That Happen.

As one can surmise from the title of this last story, it is not really so much a story as a declaration of fantastic homemade pastry and the love and obsession that it spontaneously ignites from a pudgy blonde woman. Is it sad when pie rocks your world?

A Study of Absolutes

Eve is the most complete study of Absolute Cuteness that has ever existed. It is definitive and far reaching, a scientific matter of great import. And to top her cuteness, she is oh so happy and mellow most of the time. So much so that I had no idea she was even teething unitl I felt a sharp little chip in her gums while she was chomping away on my finger Friday! My baby is cutting her first tooth! I was stunned. I wasn't expecting this for another couple of months. Friday was also her four month adjusted birthday, and next week she'll be six months old. I can't believe what a big girl she is already starting to be! These aren't feeling that are supposed to occur for several more months, right?

It never ceases to amaze me however, the love that I feel for Eve, and the love she seems to feel for me. Her face lights up everytime I look at her, and I can't help wondering how I came to be so lucky to have such an adorable daughter.

Eve at the park with Daddy. It was her first time in the swing!

A Vision in Patriotism

Last weekend we went down to Cedar City to celebrate Independence Day with my parents and sister. To tell the truth, I was not too keen on going because the last time I went down there, I was without Richard and Eve was sick, so it was not a fun trip. So I am happy to report that it was an excellent trip! Just what we needed to get away from Logan and life a little bit. Richie golfed and fished for three whole days, I had someone else to help with Eve and hung out with my mom and sister, and Richie and I even went on a real date! Very fun and relaxing. I even wish we could have stayed another night or two. I didn't get to play Settlers of Catan like I wanted to, but did play some terrible, awful, fun volleyball, lit illegal fireworks and generally appreciated all my freedoms and rights as a citizen of the United States of America.

At Cedar Breaks National Monument, about half an hour up the canyon from my parents' house. Several people asked if they could take pictures of Eve, because she's so irresistably cute in her hat and sunglasses (no sunburns for her!) Of course I said yes!

On a patriotic sidenote, upon pondering the 4th of July and it's significance, I am very truly grateful to be an American, to be born at the time I was, and to have the life I lead. My dad is a Vietnam veteran, and I am very proud of him and his service to our country. I often snicker and roll my eyes at uber patriotic people, such as those who listen to country music that tout the absolute supremecy of the US, Texans and whatnot, but I am glad to be American, and realize that America does play a very significant and positive role in the world, in politics and policies, and that for all its faults and imperfections, there probably has never such successful, peaceful or opportune country, well, ever. And despite whether or not I agree with the government's actions the past eight years, I will always support those soldiers and volunteers that sacrafice so much for me and my family, so that we can continue on our path of happiness, and will never take my rights for granted.

Well, I'll stop my preaching and getting to posting pictures! Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

How I wish that was Eve's beanie! Unfortunately, it is one that my sister picked up in Peru for her own future children. Sigh...

Blog Happy

unflattering pictures of me, I know, but I was attempting to get some of Eve in my lap with her little "driving"toy (the cloth donut in front of her race is really a steering wheel)

I don't know why I am blogging so much so suddenly, but I guess I just want to share my world with the world. It is starting to get hot here in Logan (yuck) but I'm just glad that it's not winter! (it lasts so long in Logan). I really don't like Logan, but I really really really love my house and yard and neighborhood. With all my heart. When we first bought our house I thought, "what are we going to do with all this land?" (We have a quarter acre). Now I'm trying figure out how to squeeze in all the things I like into the backyard that we have. I thought that I wanted to make improvements on the interior of our house, but now I just want to landscape everything!

raspberries, strawberries, corn, potatoes, herbs, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, butternut, watermelon, crookneck, zuchinni, cucumbers, pumpkins, lavender, roses, peonies, poppies

on the rocking horse from grandpa and grandma barkume

The Objects of My Adoration

the chemist's first father's day

I always feel a little jipped when I read a blog entery sans pictures, so here are some to accompany my happy moment:

I finally feel like Eve's room is very near completion--at least until she starts crawling. I made the crib skirt and glider cushion covers myself, and also made the origami crane mobiles above her bed. I love them--they're beautiful, they slowly twirl on their own, and Eve loves to look at them. They're even hung on chopsticks!

We have lots of rose bushes at my house, which is nice because apparently it is hard to get roses to grow in Logan. They seem quite old fashioned and charming to me. I see these out my kitchen window.

Come on, who doesn't LOVE baby fat rolls and naked bums? They're soooo cute!

I Am Happy

So a few posts ago I was complainging about paying for things, because generally, things are always tight around here. Of course, I'm sure most people feel the same way. And would I love to have enough money that buying the $169 magazie holder from Pottery Barn would be nothing at all? Well, yeah, sure. (Just to make things clear, I would never ever spend money on a magazie rack of any quality, no matter how rich I was. I was just using that as an example).

But the other day Richard, Eve and I were returning to our house from an evening walk. And I just realized how happy I was. I have a very sweet, well-tempered baby that makes me laugh and giggle and cry a little and cuddles into me; I have a husband that is not only willing but enjoys cleaning the house, doing the dishes and shares yard work with me, all unasked and uncomplaining; and he is willing to go to work everyday so that I can be home with Eve! We have a great house in a great neighborhood, and there really isn't anything that I am lacking, except maybe tact and humility. And patience. But otherwise, my life is perfect. If only I could remember it constantly so that I don't complain. But I think it is important to remember the times you are happy, especially when they come upon you for no reason at all, but are just sweet little gifts that life gives you.

We're Back, Baby!

Wow! It's only been a little more than a month since I last blogged, but it seems like a long time ago! I've missed you, cyber space! And many apologies to the three faithful followers of my blog. We moved our computer to the upstairs loft, and the internet connection there was awful. We finally switched providers, so here we are, back up and running.

eve was shooting me especially cute glances before her bath (although she won't smile when I have the camera up to my face)

A lot has been going on lately. Being a nursing mother is a weird mixture of being insanely busy and doing nothing (or at least, not accomplishing many tasks). On May 3rd Eve received her baby blessing in church. Basically, it is a formal presentation of her to the church, and then Richard gave here a name and a blessing, which was very beautiful. Of course I was crying throughout the whole meeting. It started with the opening song and didn't stop till the meeting was over. We had all our immediate family with us, and some friends, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was lovely.

blessing day feast; eve with daddy

We also planted our garden. It was looking fantistic for a while, then two weeks ago the bug population in Logan exploded and all our tender little plantlings have played salad to a whole army of bugs. I'm trying to avoid using anything poisonous on our plants and soil, but it doesn't seem to be working and I don't want to lose my garden. Any organic gardening suggestions would be most welcome.

My first Mother's Day was absolutely wonderful, all thanks to Richard and Eve. I wish everyday could be Mother's Day! Richie made me breakfast in bed and dinner--scallops, veggies, sparkling cider, and homemade strawberry shortcake! It was divine and oh so delish! I love having a wonderful husband and sweet daughter.

he even used the nice china!

Eve is doing well. She got her first cold on a trip to Cedar City to see the grandparents, but she is doing just fine now. Baby colds are the worst! She didn't gain any weight while she was sick, so she's a little behind what her current trend has been, but she's happy and healthy and learning new things everyday. She sucks her fingers and loves to hold onto things and explore her clothes and surroundings. She loves to watch and absorb people and events around her. She is very good natured and usually quite happy and smiley. At her 4 month doctor's appointment two weeks ago she was 10 lb 9 oz and 21 3/4". So she is a tiny thing, but cuter than anything else I have seen on this earth, and I've seen a lot of cuteness. Sorry all those out there that disagree, but it's true. I'm never wrong, just ask the Chemist.

eve tries eat most of the things she picks up; below, she's apparently trying to do the can-can, and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it