It's too hot here.

We're going on day 31 of over 110 degree temperatures. It is some kind of sick record. Frankly, I am tired of it. The heat has squelched all creative desire from my body. I have lots of projects to complete before Miss Stella arrives in two and a half months, but they will simply have to wait until October. Until then I might just go crazy.

Since I am boring and sweaty and have nothing to blog about, I thought I would steal this from my sister's blog:

1. Name one thing you like and one thing you dislike about your name.
I have always been sort of neutral about my name. I don't love it, but I don't hate it. I like that I was named after my mom (Stephanie is her middle name) because she is a classy lady. But I always thought it had too many letters in it (It has 9. That's a lot.).

2. How do you beat the summer heat?
I don't. This summer is killing me! I sit on the couch with a fan pointed in my direction and try to remember what it feels like to be cold.

3. What are your favorite five items in your wardrobe?
I have lately realized that I am not a lover of clothes or shoes (I know, how can Leslie and I be related!), so this is tough. Plus, I am usually sweaty and nearly 30 weeks pregnant, so getting dressed isn't something I look forward to.

1. Loungewear. I can't get enough of it.
   
2. My bright pink maternity bathing suit. I just love it and would only dare wear a bright pink swim suit when my big tummy takes the attention away from my less desirable physical traits.
3. The pink shirt that will now have to wait until after I have the baby to make another appearance.
4. A comfy black skirt that Leslie sent me a few weeks ago. It has become the only thing (besides loungewear) that I wear.
5. My super plain skinny platinum wedding band. I love that it is so simple.
   

4. What are you most proud of?
Right now I am most proud of my husband. He has been working crazy long hours and is super stressed at work, but he comes home every night and somehow manages to leave the stress at the office. I don't know how he does it. He has amazed me with his knowledge and ambition and despite some lame workers, his business is growing every month.

5. Name one subject on which you could talk for hours.
The proper way to raise a child (because I am totally THE expert.).

6. In one word, describe your first kiss.
Awkward.

7. Finish the following sentence: "I can always find an excuse to _________".
Lay on the couch. When I am pregnant, I like to take it easy. It is the only time I can relax and not feel guilty doing it.

8. The big decision I'm currently wrestling with is . . .
I hate to say it, but I currently have no big decisions to make. It is nice.

p.s. In case you were wondering, the floor is almost all the way dry and Oliver is just "a yiddle bit sick" now.

More Red

What do you do with a really yucky, gold, 30 year old linoleum floor that you can't afford to replace?

Why, you paint it red, of course.

I painted it 2 days ago and it is still tacky.

Help!

*UPDATE*
After speaking with the nice customer service representative lady at Behr Paints,
I was assured that the stickiness would end in about 2 weeks.
(2 weeks!!)

If that doesn't work, we will have to switch to plan B.
But first I will have to come up with said plan.

Red Day

I'm not kidding

when I say that Mabel will only wear pink dresses.

This is what is in her closet:

(And that's not even all of them. There is more pinkness waiting in the laundry.)

This makes it difficult when she is supposed to wear a specific color to school.
Today's color is supposed to be green.
Yah right.

I could listen to this song over and over.

Oh wait, I do. Regularly.

I don't like cooking.

There, I said it.

I find no joy in making dinner. I think it is a bother. I wish I never had to cook. I much prefer cleaning my kitchen to cooking in it. If we had the financial means and the metabolisms to handle it, I would eat out every meal. I'm serious.

However, I do enjoy a good baking session. Unfortunately, I have zero will power when it comes to baked goods, so I don't bake as often as I would like. I end up eating it all. I'm still being serious. Like yesterday, when I made these delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and ate nearly every single one. It's a good thing I only made half the recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour (I like doing half whole wheat, half white)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Beat together butter and sugars til creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
5. Stir in oats and chocolate chips; mix well.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.


Notice there are no pictures of said cookies. They were gone pretty quickly. But what's better for breakfast (and lunch) than cookies? Nothing, that's what (well, maybe ice cold pumpkin pie). At least the cookies had oatmeal in them. That makes them healthy, right?

I promise this is the last one.

Honeymooners, Hawaii, 2001

That was our little hut (o' love).

Now I have to come up with real blogging material. Shoot.
Posting these pictures was a nice little break.

My 2 Kids

More from the wall:



Mabel, 14 months (or so)























Oliver, 14 months (or so)











p.s. Mike is looking for a new secretary. Do you know of anybody good?
Here's a link to his Craigslist ad: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/ofc/395828428.html
Thanks.

Little Miss Kindergarten

Mabel's elementary school is exactly one block from our house.
So we decided to walk her to school today.
Here's the thing: Her school starts at 12:10.
Do you know how hot it is at that time?

It's really hot.

It was a bad idea.
Mabel and Oliver were bright red and dripping in sweat by the time we arrived.
We have now decided that we will be driving until October when it starts to cool off.

Ah, Young Love

Another favorite photo from the wall:
Our engagement picture, Provo, late 2000

I think I look like I am 12.
We were young, but not that young.

Special thanks to Mr. Schroeder for taking this lovely picture.

The Wall

Our house was built in 1978.

It has little walls.
I have always loved the idea of having a family picture wall.
Our's is not grand.
It's just quaint.
And it contains some of our best memories.

I am officially uncomfortable.

Please forgive the tightness of my shirt. It is purely for illustration purposes and would never actually be worn outside of the house.

Is it possible that my bump quadrupled in size last night? Because I am almost convinced that it did. All of a sudden I feel ginormous. Maybe it's because I'm officially in my third trimester (I am 25 weeks and can't believe how fast this pregnancy is flying by!). I hear myself releasing great sighs and grunts whenever I move, but strangely, I don't remember making these weird noises. They get louder as the day progresses and often prompt my husband to ask me if I'm ok. I'm fine. I just can't move very easily anymore. And please don't ask me to get up off the couch. I just don't think I can do it. I think I even waddle. (Isn't it too soon to waddle? Shouldn't that come a little bit later? I don't remember.) I can't bend over. I am always hot. And the thought of eating an antacid makes me want to throw up. But I pop them all day long like they are candy. They're not. They're gross. But my heart burns.

All of this and I still adore being pregnant.

Honest.

Obla-Di Obla-Da

I have organized a family picture wall in my house where I have hung all of my most favorite photos. This is one of them: Mabel in Cannes, age 3.

I just love it.

Some Pointers

If you know someone who has lost their baby due to SIDS or any other cause of infant death, there are lots of things you can do to help them through the grieving process. Unfortunately, it is easy to feel uncomfortable and unsure of what to do or say. Here is a list that you might find helpful:

DO

• Do get in touch. Let your genuine concern and caring show.

• Do be available to listen.

• Do help with the other children, or whatever else seems needed at the time. Offer help with practical matters like house cleaning and meals.

• Do say you are sorry about what happened.

• Do allow them to express as much grief as they are feeling at the moment. Accept silence; if the family doesn't feel like talking, don't force conversation. Follow their lead.

• Do encourage them to be patient with themselves.
  

• Do allow them to talk about their baby.

• Do give special attention to the siblings of the baby.

• Do be patient with them. Coping with the death of their baby may take a long time. Stay in touch.

DON'T

• Don't let your own sense of helplessness keep you from reaching out to the family.

• Don't avoid the family because you are uncomfortable.

• Don't say you know how they feel (unless you've lost a child yourself, you probably don't know how they feel).

• Don't probe for details about the baby's death. If the family offers information, listen with understanding.

• Don't tell them what they should feel or do. Don't impose your religious or spiritual views on them.

• Don't change the subject when they mention their baby.

• Don't point out that at least they have another child, or could have more children in the future.

• Don't blame anyone for the death. Don't make comments which suggest that the care at home, at the childcare provider's, in the emergency room, hospital or wherever was inadequate.

• Don't avoid mentioning the baby's name out of fear of reminding them of their pain.

• Don't say "you ought to be feeling better by now" or anything else which implies a judgment about their feelings, or sets time expectations or limits their healing process.

Families are Forever

After a very quiet day spent in the company of my little family, I am reminded of this ultimate blessing.

I believe that families can be sealed together for eternity. I sometimes wonder how people can believe otherwise. How grateful I am to know that our loving Heavenly Father has provided such a wonderful plan for us. He has made it possible for the relationships we make in this life to be perpetuated beyond the grave. I am so blessed to be sealed to my husband. Our marriage does not end when we die. Because of this, our children are sealed to us as well. If we live righteously, we will be together forever. I can't think of a more marvelous blessing.

I will be taking a little break from blogging, as we grieve with our dearest friends who have just lost their baby. Somehow, my daily activities just don't seem so important right now.

Go hug your little ones!

A Little Post-Monsoon Fun