J left this afternoon for Idaho where he'll be until Friday night. It broke my heart to have H writhing in my arms, screaming for Daddy while J drove away. He has been gone A LOT. When he left I thought I was going to go crazy. The Monkeys all decided to switch their volumes to VERY LOUD and fight through dinner. Aaahhhh!!!
But then, dinner was over. H went to bed. S, O, and I had a brief Family Home Evening. O went to bed. S went to bed. Quiet reigns, sanity is restored. O blessed bedtime!
In the immortal words of Dr. Seuss:
Today is gone. Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
I'm thankful for "another one" with my little monkeys. My heart is full of love for these boys. And their dad? Well, before I can really miss him, he'll be home again too.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Family Pictures, Part I
A couple of my favorites...
And the one that'll be enlarged for our wall:
I like how J is the focal point of this picture. I could paint a wall the color of his eyes!
Sweet little H
That look is so O
a B&W of S
A fun one of us all
And the one that'll be enlarged for our wall:
I like how J is the focal point of this picture. I could paint a wall the color of his eyes!
This one's for you, Mom!
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving at our home was a nice relaxing day.
J went shooting in the morning with Grandpa Lundgren and various males from that side of the family. He came home fairly oozing testosterone. He's a really good shot.
While he was gone we made pies, played, and sat and looked at the Christmas tree that I had set up the night before. When he came home I went for a 5-mile run in gorgeous weather. I haven't run that far since the last week in September (I know -- pitiful), so it was hard at first! It got easier after about 3 1/2 miles, though, so I felt pretty good by the time I got home. Just in time to shower and go to Grandpa and Grandma Lundgren's to put back all the calories I had just burned off. So worth it, though.
Dinner was so good. We also were able to go outside and watch the Atlantis and the space station meet up. That was really cool.
Thanksgiving weekend passed by very well. The best part of it is that I've rediscovered UNO. S and O are both old enough to understand and play with me, and even J played a couple hands of it with me before we went to bed last night. It's the best card game ever invented. I'm thankful for UNO.
More seriously, I'm grateful for all of my blessings. I'm awed and humbled by how much the Lord has given me -- J, the boys, the Gospel, great health, family, stable employment, incredible friends, my right to choose for myself the way I want my life to go. I'm excited for Christmas, which for me is just an expansion and continuation of Thanksgiving. It's truly the best time of year to be thankful and to show gratitude through love and service. Woo hoo! Holidays, here we come!
J went shooting in the morning with Grandpa Lundgren and various males from that side of the family. He came home fairly oozing testosterone. He's a really good shot.
While he was gone we made pies, played, and sat and looked at the Christmas tree that I had set up the night before. When he came home I went for a 5-mile run in gorgeous weather. I haven't run that far since the last week in September (I know -- pitiful), so it was hard at first! It got easier after about 3 1/2 miles, though, so I felt pretty good by the time I got home. Just in time to shower and go to Grandpa and Grandma Lundgren's to put back all the calories I had just burned off. So worth it, though.
Dinner was so good. We also were able to go outside and watch the Atlantis and the space station meet up. That was really cool.
Thanksgiving weekend passed by very well. The best part of it is that I've rediscovered UNO. S and O are both old enough to understand and play with me, and even J played a couple hands of it with me before we went to bed last night. It's the best card game ever invented. I'm thankful for UNO.
More seriously, I'm grateful for all of my blessings. I'm awed and humbled by how much the Lord has given me -- J, the boys, the Gospel, great health, family, stable employment, incredible friends, my right to choose for myself the way I want my life to go. I'm excited for Christmas, which for me is just an expansion and continuation of Thanksgiving. It's truly the best time of year to be thankful and to show gratitude through love and service. Woo hoo! Holidays, here we come!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
O turns 5!
I can't believe my little O is already 5! He opted for an "Army Party" this year. Here is his cake:
The number-shaped cookies are a tradition I picked up from J's Grandma Squire. I think she put a cap on the age, so she wouldn't be making cookies for all of the grands and great-grands, but I got them for a few years at least! They are birthday-person specific, so the whole plateful is for the birthday-person to dispose of as he/she wishes. O asked for his in blue this year:
Another tradition from J's side of the family is the "You Are Special Today" plate and cup. O requested crepes for breakfast and hot chocolate for his cup:
Yes, that is my man blowing up the balloons with the air compressor. He thought he was being manly; I thought he was being lazy. That's why I blew up the Spiderman Bop Bag O got from Grandma and Grandpa Kim all by myself. Was it worth the light-headedness to make a point? Sure it was!
O in action blowing out the candles:
The number-shaped cookies are a tradition I picked up from J's Grandma Squire. I think she put a cap on the age, so she wouldn't be making cookies for all of the grands and great-grands, but I got them for a few years at least! They are birthday-person specific, so the whole plateful is for the birthday-person to dispose of as he/she wishes. O asked for his in blue this year:
Another tradition from J's side of the family is the "You Are Special Today" plate and cup. O requested crepes for breakfast and hot chocolate for his cup:
Yes, that is my man blowing up the balloons with the air compressor. He thought he was being manly; I thought he was being lazy. That's why I blew up the Spiderman Bop Bag O got from Grandma and Grandpa Kim all by myself. Was it worth the light-headedness to make a point? Sure it was!
O in action blowing out the candles:
In addition to the bop bag, he got a remote-control car from Grandpa and Grandma Lundgren and a skateboard from his crazy parents. He's been asking for one for two years, so we finally caved. I'm anticipating a broken limb or something pretty soon.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Pilgrim
Tuesday was Early American Day for the 3rd Graders. They were encouraged to dress up as an early American, so S went to school like this:
Not bad for putting it together in an hour the night before.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Early
The Holidays started early for our family this year. G & G Kim showed up on our doorstep on Thursday -- three days earlier than originally planned. We didn't tell the kids that they were coming, so I was silently giggling as I listened to O's reply to my suggestion that he see who was pulling in our driveway: "It's just S, isn't it?" followed two seconds later by the shriek, "It's Grandma and Grandpa!!! Mom! H! Grandma and Grandpa Kim are here!!!"
When S arrived home, Grandma presented the Monkeys with gifts -- a book and a notebook each:
When S arrived home, Grandma presented the Monkeys with gifts -- a book and a notebook each:
The next day they were able to participate in our family pictures (more on that later):
They even had one made for H, who stayed home with me to nap. During those three hours of nap and blessed solitude I made 2 quarts of pumpkin ice cream, one pumpkin pie, and 4 dozen cookies. It was a great afternoon.
On Sunday morning after cramming a turkey into my crock pot, our little family left for church. Grandma and Grandpa stayed home to enjoy the quiet. When we burst in the door three hours later we were greeted by the wonderful smell of Thanksgiving.
They even had a sleep-over in the front room on Friday night with all the boys. J and I had a great little date night of our own in our room watching the most recent episodes of "Glee" and "The Office."
On Saturday after my mom and I bought gifts for O's birthday and our kids' Christmas, S, O, J, Grandma, and Grandpa went climbing:
,
and then to Pirate Island. While there, they celebrated O's upcoming birthday by getting balloon animals:
,and then to Pirate Island. While there, they celebrated O's upcoming birthday by getting balloon animals:
They even had one made for H, who stayed home with me to nap. During those three hours of nap and blessed solitude I made 2 quarts of pumpkin ice cream, one pumpkin pie, and 4 dozen cookies. It was a great afternoon.
On Sunday morning after cramming a turkey into my crock pot, our little family left for church. Grandma and Grandpa stayed home to enjoy the quiet. When we burst in the door three hours later we were greeted by the wonderful smell of Thanksgiving.
At 4 o'clock on Sunday, we had our Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey so tender it fell apart, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls made from scratch, rice, kim chee, and home made root beer (a brief bragging post on the dinner to come):
O and Grandpa bonded, Grandma was adored (as always!), and we began our holiday season with a bang just a few days early.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
(On a side note, I really liked having Thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday before. I actually had forgotten that Thanksgiving wasn't over yet and was puzzled for a minute at the grocery store today as to why there were so many turkeys left in the freezer thing. For me, now that S is out of school for the rest of the week, it's like the week-long vacation after Christmas! I love it!)
Thanksgiving Dinner
I don't usually brag about my accomplishments, really because they are few and far between, but I'm really pleased with how Thanksgiving dinner turned out.
Let's reminisce...
10 years ago J and I had our own little Thanksgiving Dinner. Well, that was the plan. In reality, we choked down a few pieces of charred, burnt turkey and swallowed some cold, lumpy potatoes. Poor J -- newly wed, sitting down to a horrendous dinner, probably wondering if that is to be his fate when it comes to food for the rest of his life. Brave, patient J.
So we took a 10-year break from doing our own Thanksgiving Dinner.
Back to the present...
I don't know why more people don't cook turkey in the crock pot. It's magic. The only drawback is that the turkey comes out so tender it falls apart and is not browned and pretty, but who cares? When the white meat is as tender as the dark and just as juicy, pretty doesn't matter. At least not to me, but that's the way I roll in general -- function over fashion. Anyway...
The rolls came out great. I know this to be true because it's all my pickiest eater ate for dinner. He easily devoured 4 rolls in one sitting. We don't need to reminisce about my bread making attempts -- they're better forgotten!
My mashed potatoes have been extremely popular fare ever since I invested in a potato ricer. Go get one today -- totally worth it.
And the rice and kim chee? Standard side dishes for any extra-special holiday meal if you grew up in the Kim household. Easter ham + rice and kim chee. Christmas duck + rice and kim chee. Thanksgiving turkey + rice and kim chee. It's not a major holiday without rice and kim chee. If you're brave enough to try it, join us for Christmas and experience dinner Kim-style!
That's all. Oh yeah, the pumpkin pie and pumpkin ice cream rocked. End of dinner-bragging.
Let's reminisce...
10 years ago J and I had our own little Thanksgiving Dinner. Well, that was the plan. In reality, we choked down a few pieces of charred, burnt turkey and swallowed some cold, lumpy potatoes. Poor J -- newly wed, sitting down to a horrendous dinner, probably wondering if that is to be his fate when it comes to food for the rest of his life. Brave, patient J.
So we took a 10-year break from doing our own Thanksgiving Dinner.
Back to the present...
I don't know why more people don't cook turkey in the crock pot. It's magic. The only drawback is that the turkey comes out so tender it falls apart and is not browned and pretty, but who cares? When the white meat is as tender as the dark and just as juicy, pretty doesn't matter. At least not to me, but that's the way I roll in general -- function over fashion. Anyway...
The rolls came out great. I know this to be true because it's all my pickiest eater ate for dinner. He easily devoured 4 rolls in one sitting. We don't need to reminisce about my bread making attempts -- they're better forgotten!
My mashed potatoes have been extremely popular fare ever since I invested in a potato ricer. Go get one today -- totally worth it.
And the rice and kim chee? Standard side dishes for any extra-special holiday meal if you grew up in the Kim household. Easter ham + rice and kim chee. Christmas duck + rice and kim chee. Thanksgiving turkey + rice and kim chee. It's not a major holiday without rice and kim chee. If you're brave enough to try it, join us for Christmas and experience dinner Kim-style!
That's all. Oh yeah, the pumpkin pie and pumpkin ice cream rocked. End of dinner-bragging.
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