Recent Photos of a Cute Kid

I know I haven't blogged about Atticus in a while, so I thought I'd make up for it with a few random photos. I love love love the above photo. The look of concentration, the the hat riding up his head in a very cool way, the ears, the bangs. And we're at the Blue Plate Diner, which is always a good idea.

In these next photos we're at the Discovery Gateway children's museum. We bought a pass, which has been a great investment for us, and not really all that expensive. Look how carefully he's "sawing" this block:

And success! I don't know exactly what he's excited about, but I was thrilled to capture this moment of glee.

This last one is another favorite. I peeked in on him during his nap one day and found his hands up by his chin like this:

I just had to sneak back in with the camera and capture his sweetness.

He's growing so fast, developing his intellect and personality faster than I can keep up.

A small gripe

You know, some things just rub me the wrong way. Like people putting the Word of Wisdom label on their own personal brand of nutrition. For example, in college I found a book called The Word of Wisdom Diet, which banned meat, salt, and sugar. The recipes were pretty good (Dad's response to one recipe for stuffed peppers: "It would be better with meat and salt"), but I don't think the Word of Wisdom prohibits those things.

Then the other day I came across a new blog called Word of Widsom Living. It's nicely designed, and the photographs are lovely. Their ideas are pretty straightforward and nutritionally sound: eat more whole grain, limit sugar and fried foods, etc. But still it irks me. I mean, the Word of Wisdom doesn't say anything about sugar or fried foods. Would we be better off avoiding those things? Sure. But that's not the commandment.

I have a testimony of the Word of Wisdom, and I admit that I don't follow the guidelines as well as I would like to. But apart from a few specific prohibitions, the guidelines are broad, and for good reason. I believe that it's up to each of us decide for ourselves what the commandment means in our lives. In Relief Society once a woman made the comment that she had some health problems, and through much prayer and study, she understood what the WoW meant for her. She didn't specify details, and I was tempted to go ask, but then I realized that what fits her needs may not be what I need.

So there's my soapbox for the day: your diet/lifestyle program/nutritional guidelines may have much merit, but please don't call it the Word of Wisdom.

Thanks.

Plans, not goals

I've always struggled with New Year's resolutions. I make a list of things I SHOULD do, like study the scriptures for 30 minutes a day and exercise 6 days a week and lose 20 pounds. I get so overwhelmed by these goals that I have little faith in acheiving and essentially give up before I start.

So this year is different. I made a list of PLANS. Things I WANT to do. Like go rock climbing, and be able to do at least one "real" push-up. (I do need some help defining that "real" push-up, though. Does my chest have to touch the floor? That feels like going too far, but maybe that's just because I still can't get a 90 degree angle in my elbows in my push-ups. Lara, what do you say?)

Because fitness isn't just for fitness's sake. I want to be healthy so that I can do all these active things I want to do. Hiking's on the list, too, as well as the 5K "Dirty Dash," which is a foot race through mud and obstacles on the Olympic cross-country skiing course. Doesn't that sound a lot more fun than "go to the gym 3 times a week"? I think so.

I also want to try new things and learn new skills, so I'm planning to knit a Fair Isle sweater and try some new quilting techniques and start drawing the tree outside our house. (I love that tree. I've wanted to draw it since we moved in, but I'm convinced I can't draw. As Van Gogh said, "If a voice inside says 'you cannot paint,' by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." This year I'm going to try to silence that voice.) I also bought a pattern for a vintage-style dress I want to make. There's an online sew-along I'm going to try to follow, and maybe I'll have the dress in time for my birthday. Mom, I'm going to need your help on this one...

Oh, and I want to try at least one new food each month. This month it was Chinese broccoli (in case you were wondering what that was, Erin). Lots of greens, crunchy stems, and very small florettes. A little bitter raw, but quite tasty cooked. I love our Asian market. A lot of the stuff there scares me, but I can branch out with the greens. They seem a safe enough place to start.

I've also developed a plan to build our long-term food storage. I have quarterly goals, and I've already filled out the order forms for the dry-pack cannery for the next three months. I plan to go once a month, and the budget is $70 per month. All of the storage items are things we already use, like beans and rice and wheat, so I expect to rotate through them and not just stick them in a corner for 30 years. Of course, as soon as I get it all bought and packed away, we'll probably move and have to lug it across town or across the country. But at least they're in cases, not super heavy buckets. And maybe our new place will have a basement to put it in....

We also have some trips planned, and we bought a pass to the children's museum and plan to go at least once a month. Atticus loves that place, even though he got whacked in the nose with a hula hoop almost as soon as we walked in last week. (He still had a good time, and the scab came off today, so all is well.)

I've written down all these plans and made a checklist and I'm putting it next to the calendar, where I'll see it several times a day. Of course, all plans are subject to change and revision. I'll reevaluate in six months. Or sooner, if I get pregnant or something. We'll see.

Merry Christmas!

Atticus wasn't sure what to think of Santa when he met him in person, but it didn't take him long to figure out what Santa was supposed to do: bring toys. Last week we heard "I do Santa toys" almost nonstop. When I said Santa only comes on Christmas, it changed to "I do Kiss-muss" nonstop. Ah, the joys of childhood. :)

And Santa didn't disappoint. He brought Atticus train tracks and 10 engines from the Thomas series to put on them. I have a video of him pulling each one of the the box and saying their names, but I've had trouble uploading video for some reason.

He's been entranced all morning, only occasionally taking a break to play with another toy or eat. He wouldn't even pause long enough to look up for a photo. I'd say, "Look at me, Atty!" and I'd hear "No lookamee, no tanks." This was the closest I got:

I'd say this Christmas was a hit.

James and I are having fun watching him play. Oh, and shooting birds at pigs in glass houses in the "Angry Birds" game for iPad and iPod. Man, that's addictive.

I hope all your Christmas wishes came true.

Free iPad???

Go to Frugal Family Fun Blog to enter to win an iPad and an assortment of children's books courtesy of Target!

Sweetness

It's 10:04 a.m., and Atticus is asleep with his head in my lap. The poor boy has a double ear infection, and although he slept soundly last night, either the infection or the antibiotics is making him sleepy. Part of me wants to slide out from under him and go do something productive, like change the laundry or do the dishes, but the rest of me just wants to sit here and listen to him breathe.

Confessions of a wannabe urban hippie

I confess, sometimes I covet what I call the catalog life: I want to be a trendy, fashionable mom who wears whimsical, coordinated outfits and lives in a house full of Pottery Barn furniture, drives an SUV to go grocery shopping at Costco or Whole Foods, and has beautifully dressed, well-behaved children. Oh, and a dog. I want to eat in boutique restaurants and buy gorgeous little boxes of gourmet macaroons as thank-you gifts for my friends. That just looks fun.

But then something happens that brings me back to my real life and reminds me why I love it. Yesterday I went to pick up our first share of food from the community co-op. I'd been thinking about joining for a long time, but it just never seemed that convenient, and I wasn't sure it would really save us money. But I think I may be hooked.

The primary purpose of the Community Food Co-Op is to make it economical to get fresh food into lower-income homes. But anyone can join, and the distribution runs from Nephi to Ogden. You order once a month, and because they're buying in bulk, it ends up being cheaper than the grocery store. Here's what we got for the standard $24 share:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• 2 lbs chuck roast
• 1.5 lbs boneless pork spare ribs
• 5 oranges
• 5 apples
• 5 pears
• 1 large celery
• 4 yams
• 1 head romaine
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 5 lbs onions
• 2 lbs carrots

Plus there are optional "add ons" each month, and we got a half gallon of local apple cider for $2 and 2 lbs local honey for $6.

Even better than the great prices was the feeling of community I experienced. When I went to pick up the food at 8 am (practically in my jammies), the people were so friendly and welcoming and seemed happy that I was there. Then when I was checking out, I ran into a woman from our ward that I've been wanting to get to know better. We chatted for a minute, and she told me about a clothing/supply drive her roller derby league is having for a women's shelter. Then she invited me to try out for roller derby in a couple weeks. I might just do it, even just to see what it's all about.

Then when I was driving home I passed the houses of friends, and waved to a friend walking her dog. I've lived in this neighborhood for over 10 years, and I feel like part of a community. I like this feeling, and I wouldn't trade that for anything, not even a cute pair of ballet flats or a case of organic Oreos.