Sweet Noodle Video

At last, we have captured the Silly Lullaby on camera! He did change a few of the words, and got a little bit silly during filming (there's a big surprise, eh?). :) But here it is -- enjoy!

Small Town Fall Fest

Ah, the joys of living in a small town! Our city has a yearly "Fall Fest" held at the largest park in the city (really the ONLY park worth going to :)), and this year we finally went for the first time. DC was conducting a baptism and couldn't come, but I herded the boys into the car and braved it on my own.

The hot dog eating contest

(note Exacto and Fluffy in their balloon hats watching from the front row)

Some beautiful birds were there!

The Baby Crawl Contest (the baby in the middle lane won!)

A good time was had by all. :)

The Power and Influence of a Righteous Woman

Sometimes I think about the things my children will face and are facing as they go out into the world and I am petrified. Schoolchildren are learning things way too early, and I don't mean the three R's. I feel like a big part of my job is damage control. So I try really hard to make sure my children are comfortable talking to me, so that I can help prevent spiritual damage whenever possible, and help to heal it when it does occur. I think of what it must have been like for families trying to live the gospel and teach the children behind the Iron Curtain. As the world increases in moral liberality and becomes more anti-Christian, perhaps it will be like we're behind a spirtual Iron Curtain. Already parents' rights are sadly threatened, as to control over what their children may be taught in school. Whenever I start to feel despair over these things, I find great comfort and strength from the words of our modern-day prophets.


Pres. Spencer W. Kimball said this


"To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman's strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times" (My Beloved Sisters, 17).


What an uplifting way to look at this time! My strength and influence can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times! Perhaps my children's influence on others is also magnified. I know they were reserved to come to earth at this time. What an honor it is to be their mother!

A glimpse into Hummer's imagination. . . .

"Once upon a time a tiger said there were some people. And the tiger thought it was all the people. And the tiger didn't run away. And there was a shark, but it be nice to the tiger. And all the people. And the tiger didn't eat the shark. The tiger ate tiger food. The shark ate shark food. And that's all of the story."

Here's a video clip of Hummer "pretending to be a dinosaur". . . .

Race for the Sky

Recently DC played on a faculty recital at nearby university. The piece he played for was "Race for the Sky" a four-movement work for soprano, violin and piano written in memory of the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001.

It was a somber, moving piece. The poetry for the different movements is from various New Yorkers who expressed their emotions poignantly and sometimes anonymously in the days following the tragedy. I will include here links to the last 2 movements, as performed by G. Secrest, soprano, D. Cutie, violin, and C. Fuller, piano. Below is the text for the last movement.
Click here to listen to DC's solo, the third movement.

Click here to listen to the final movement "Don't Look for Me Anymore."

don't look for me anymore (Alicia Vasquez)

don't look for me anymore

it's late and you are tired

your feet ache standing atop the ruins of our twins

day after day searching for a trace of me

your eyes are burning red

your hands cut bleeding sifting through rock

it's my turn, I'm worried about you

watching as you sift through the ruins of what was

day after day in the soot and the rain

I ache in knowing you suffer my death

don't look for me anymore

hold my children as I would

hold my sisters, hold my brothers

hold my children for me

since I can't bring them up with the same

love you gave me

and I'll rest assured

you're watching my children

don't look for me anymore

go home and rest. . .

Polyphonic Marriage

In the little kingdom of a family, each spouse freely gives something the other does not have and without which neither can be complete and return to God’s presence. Spouses are not a soloist with an accompanist, nor are they two solos. They are the interdependent parts of a duet, singing together in harmony at a level where no solo can go.

– Bruce C. Hafen and Marie K. Hafen, “Crossing Thresholds and Becoming Equal Partners,” Ensign, August 2007, page 28

My mom sent me this quote, and I love it! It reminds me of a autobiographical book that Madeleine L'Engle wrote about her marriage, called "Two-Part Invention." Marriage is polyphonic music, where each part 'sounds good' by itself, but put together, is a work of art!

Letter from a Missionary Brother

I hope it's all right (with Dallin) that I share a few sentences from the delightful letter I received from him yesterday. He writes such thoughtful letters, and I love his gift for words. Most of all, I love his testimony.

"So, by the time you get this, you will be less than two months away from delivery. That will be great. And since it's around the same time Mark and Amanda get married, I will get two new family members around the same time! That's very exciting. Let's see, four of my five older siblings will have had children since I left, and the other will have been married. Amazing. Time just flies.
"How does it feel to have a baby born? Interesting, I'm sure. It sure is to get a new companion. I said goodbye to Elder Nelson, walked into a room, and said hello to Elder Liu, without seeing Elder Nelson again or either of them seeing each other. I then spent twenty-four hours a day with him. It's great to always have someone to talk to and work with.
"Missionary work really is rewarding. Even though sometimes I wish the results were more visible, I am confident that no effort is wasted, like the Brethren say in Preach My Gospel. It's true. Even if everyone says no in a day, I don't feel it was a waste of time. Sure it would be nice if I caught pneumonia from spending all day in the basptismal font, as Elder Holland put it, but I know that everyone has their agency, and this work is in the hands of the Lord. The Gospel really is true. I feel like there are still more I need to share it with.
"Well, good luck with the last little while of your pregnancy. I look forward to seeing a picture of the freshest addition to the bakery! Love, your brother, Elder Dallin Bailey"

{ quotables archive }

1/19/10 - Exacto's version of a famous Broadway song. . . "I think I'll cry defining gravity." :)

1/9/10 - Hummer, thoughtfully : "I don't know yet if I'm allergic to giraffes. Because I've never touched one."

7/31/09 - Hummer thinks we should name the baby "Mount Fuji."

7/10/09 - Exacto was mad at me because I couldn't manage to answer him at the same that his brothers were clamoring for my attention. He said something about my never answering him, and I rather exasperatedly said, "Well, I'm sorry I'm not perfect!" His face changed into a sappy smile, and he said sweetly, "I forgive you."

6/12(?) Fluffy wanted to lick the beaters from the brownie batter, and was warned that they had raw egg. He said, "That's okay. I'm addicted to raw egg!" I gave him a quizzical look, and he said, "It can't make me sick. I've had it several times and not gotten sick." The light bulb came on, and I said, "Oh, you mean you're immune to raw egg." He said, "Yep."

5/8 Conversation at the dinner table--
Hummer: Hey! Who drank my water?
DC: Maybe it was your ghost friend.
Exacto: No, he doesn't have a ghost friend anymore. He said his ghost friend ran away to Nana and Grandpa's house.
Hummer: He came back.
Exacto: Oh, okay.
Hummer: In one second.
Exacto: Wow, he's a fast ghost friend.

4/30 Hummer: "Daddy, what does the word 'mate' mean?"
{ pause }
DC {nonchalantly}: "Where did you hear that word?"
Hummer {matter-of-factly}: "From chess."

4/17 We were watching "Spirit", yes, the one about the horse. The boys had never seen it before, and were completely absorbed. We got to the part when Spirit and Rain fall down the waterfall, and Rain gets shot, and Spirit is about to be dragged from her. Suddenly Hummer started shrieking, "My eyes are watering! My eyes are watering!"

4/16 There's always a grapefruit half leftover at our house. Hummer said this morning, "I can't wait until there's six in our family on earth. Then we will get whole grapefruits." (meaning no spare halves :).

4/3 DC was making a delectable dessert after dinner tonight, and to be extra-productive, asked the boys to get their pajamas before having dessert. Their responses. . .
Exacto: Sure, I'll be happy to!
Fluffy: Sure, I'll be happy to!
Hummer: UNCLE!

3/22 After church one of the boys mentioned that Hummer had given a talk that day. "Doh!", I slapped my forehead. "I forgot to help him get it ready!" But Fluffy reassured me that one of the Primary presidency helped him, and added, "Yeah, it was about how 'family members have important responsibilities'!"

3/11 Hummer heard me quote part of one of my favorite poems by Emily Dickinson and, to my delight, he later paraphrased it: "I hope it's the thing with feathers!"

2/28 (I wavered between laughing or crying with this one. . . .) Exacto was pondering the fact that I expect him and his brothers to actually work, help around the house, etc., and he commented, "Mommy, aren't you glad you have children so you don't have to do so many chores?" ?!

2/27 Another Primary song adaptation--this one's from Hummer, who very innocently thought it went: "Faith is like a little bug. . ."2/8 Imagine how difficult it is to be reverent for family prayer just after hearing the boys' adaptation of My Heavenly Father Loves Me: "Whenever I touch a velvet toad. . . ."

2/6 Hummer was helping me put away the groceries, and started to try to lift the 50-lb bag of chicken feed. I was about to tell him to wait for Daddy to do that one when he said fervently, "Oh my heck. That one's heavy!"

1/24 Fluffy said this one: "I wonder if someone can have a baby the day after they're married? That would be so cool!"

 

1/18 Hummer: "I wish we had a pet goat. Then we wouldn't need a GARBAGE CAN any more."

1/12/09  Another Hummer quote: "Mommy, guess what? We have three books with a not-nice word!"
Me: "We do? What is it?"
Hummer (with wide, serious eyes): "The first part of it is STU and the rest of it is PID!"

12/16/08 We FINALLY gathered everyone around the table to have prayer and start eating. Hummer was called on to say the prayer. As soon as he started, we could hear that someone left the music going in the other room. Then Ruby started playing with the blinds. Then the phone began ringing. I tried very hard to concentrate on Hummer's prayer as he said, "And please bless that someone will answer the phone . . . ."

12/11 Hummer was upstairs getting his PJ's on, and called down to me: "Mommy?"
"Yes?"
"Will you please add pull-ups to your wish list?"

12/1 I received my receipt in the mail from paying off my outrageous cardiologist bill. At the bottom, after the total, it says: "THANK YOU! PLEASE COME AGAIN!" Sheesh.

11/3 Nana, having lost her cell phone, told us to call it while she looked in the car so she could hear it ring. We forgot, and she came back in to see what was up. We shamefacedly apologized, and she headed out again, calling back over her shoulder: "I'm leaving the door open so I can yell at you!"

11/2 Aunt Becky, as we were discussing favorite pictures of Hummer: "Oh, the one with Ruby in the wheelchair?"

11/1 Nana, commenting on how she appeared to be the oldest one who made to the top of Pinnacle Mountain, suddenly remembered, "Oh, yeah. There was that one man who went up twice. . . ." {dissolving into giggles}

11/1 Hummer (after tooting audibly): "Mommy, air mixed with milk is yummy!"

10/31 Aunt Becky, to Russell, who had the tendency to use the feminine pronoun when referring to Baby Seth:
"Did you know that he's a girl?"

11/8 Another Hummer prayer, this time over the food: "And we're grateful that some of this food will be yummy. . . ."

11/2 Hummer gave the closing prayer in Primary, causing the whole room to dissolve in giggles, when he said, "And please bless Nana and Aunt Becky that they won't leave our house until we say they can go back to their houses."

10/24 We were questioning Fluffy why his pajamas and underwear were on the stairs, and he responded, "Because H. was hitting and kicking and pinching me."
Hummer: "By accident!"

10/23 Hummer's reading has progressed to the point where he doesn't want help during scripture study. We're reading in Acts, and with all those funny names it gets pretty hilarious to see what he comes up with. Today the word "synagogue" became "see-na-Google." :)

10/17 While we eat dinner, we usually let Ruby in to have her dinner, too, and catch the stuff that inevitably falls from the table. Tonight we didn't because she'd already had her dinner, and she began the most piteous, heart-breaking whine imaginable. Far from taking compassion, our boys thought it was hilarious, and Exacto dubbed it "Ruby's Lament." Poor Ru!

10/9 Hummer: "Did you know that spiders and bandaids only drink BLOOD?!"

10/6 Pioneer Woman is delightfully obtuse sometimes. In her recent Pumpkin Butter post she delivered this inspiring quote:
"Pretty jars make everything better. . . .
Who said that? Nietzsche?"

9/26 Hummer gave me a wonderfully sweet hug, and then kissed my arm, and said solemnly, "I gave you my biggest hug and my biggest kiss."

9/25 Excerpt from Hummer's turn to say the prayer: "Please bless that more tornadoes will come to earth. . . ." 

9/22 Exacto asked, "If you have the Star-Spangled Banner stuck in your head, do you have to stand up?"

9/22/08 - DC quipped during our chicken gumbo, "There should be a place where you can Win-free Okra."

9/19/08 - Hummer has two warts on his thumb, which we have diligently been working to remove. It looks pretty hideous right now, blanched and with the edges coming off. (Sorry, TMI!). It doesn't seem to bother him, though! Today I heard him say in a sappy, sweet voice, "I really like my wart. It's a cute wart."

9/17/08 - I was chuckling about a post dealing with character potty pants (Elmo ones, to be specific). Interested, Hummer asked, "Alma potty pants?" Exacto started giggling and tried to clarify, but Hummer persists in his vision of scriptural hero underwear. 

7/16/08 - On the way home from playing at the Swensons', Fluffy asked me, "Mommy? Is it harder being a mom or a dad?" I said that I figured they were probably about the same. Hummer spoke up and said, "When I'm a Daddy, I'm going to try to turn into a Mommy with my magic!

Go to Sleep, Sweet Noodle

One of Hummer's favorite songs right now is "Silly Lullaby", from Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton. It's SO cute to hear him sing it! (Hopefully I can borrow a digital video camera and capture that to post on here!) But for now, here's a picture and the words:

Go to sleep, my zoodle,

my fibblety-fitsy foo.

Go to sleep, sweet noodle.

It's time to say, "Ah-choo."

The chickens in the bathtub,

the closet full of sheep,

the sneakers in the freezer,

are all drifting off to sleep.

Go to sleep, my zoodle,

my fibblety-fitsy foo.

Go to sleep, sweet noodle.

The owl is whispering, "Moo."

Elder Maxwell salutes the work of motherhood

I love this quote I came across yesterday. It's from a talk Elder Maxwell gave in 1978.

"We salute you, sisters, for the joy that is yours as you rejoice in a baby's first smile and as you listen with eager ear to a child's first day at school which bespeaks a special selflessness. Women, more quickly than others, will understand the possible dangers when the word self is militantly placed before other words like fulfillment. You rock a sobbing child without wondering if today's world is passing you by, because you know you hold tomorrow tightly in your arms."

Talk about a career with power!