Jack's Nursery

Chris and I worked on Jack's nursery for a quite a while.  We made some stuff for it over the summer and then painted it this lovely blue when we got back.  I never had painted rooms in my houses growing up.  We either had some sexy 90's wallpaper or we didn't own the house and therefore couldn't paint.  My mom did, one time, paint and wallpaper a room for Mandi and I, which was amazing.  But I've never got to pick out a paint color.  It was a very thrilling prospect.  And I love the way it turned out.  

Jack's room is the most completed room in our house by far.  Here it tis:

 This little carriage is from my Grandma Jensen.  It is from England.  Me and all of my cousins played with this bad boy all growing up.  And although it may be a little girly for a boys nursery, I just love it in there.  Check all the stuffies Little Man already has. 

  

 I painted these monkeys and palm trees.  I barely finished them before Jack came. 

 Here's a little corner of his room.

Those little jungle animals were the first thing we did for the nursery.  I painted them this summer in Kansas.  They set the theme for the whole room.  A colorful jungle theme.  Which we got from a blanket my Aunt Diane made Jack.  The quilt holder thingy is one that my Grandpa made.  It is piled high with the many many adorable quilts that Jack has been given.  

My favorite part of the nursery are these pictures that Chris made this summer.  I love them so much!  I love how Jack is purple in the bottom photo.  It is because Chris is red (his favorite color) and I'm blue (my favorite color).  And together those make purple.  Chris can draw a mean palm tree too. 

Here's another more abstract piece of art au la Chris.  

This chair was gifted by Chris's side of the family.  And I just love the two sheepies in this picture.  That little stuffed one shoved in that blanket is from Chris's mom.  I haven't had the heart undo it from its packaging.  It just looks so cute sticking out of there.  And the second sheepy is the rug.  The softest, lovliest thing of my life-style.  

This corner is not as exciting.  Closet, changing table and Diaper Genie.  The changing table my sister in law gave us.  We had already set aside a place on the carpet to be our "changing table" because we didn't want to buy a real one, so this was a wonderful gift.  Much classier than a spot on the floor.  

That's about it...now you have seen Jack's digs.  

10 Random Thoughts

1.  Have you ever noticed that all of the female characters in "Once Upon A Time" have uncommonly long eye-lashes?  Every episode is like an infomercial for Latisse.  The only one sporting realistic eyelashes is the old grandma who always carries around the cross-bow.  And the only reason her lashes aren't 2 inches long is probably to maintain the butch-ness of her character.  As for all of the other girls, you can practically see their male counter-parts protecting their eyes from the massive wind currents coming their way when their lady friends decide to blink.

Let's talk Pinterest:

2.  Several times I have stumbled upon a very disturbing photo involving Adam Levine.  All I've got to say about said photo is...how awkward do you think that photo shoot was?

3. Also I am amazed that the melted crayon hearts are still circulating.  That pin has got more longevity than Orrin Hatch's career.  (I'm so proud of myself for making a political reference...don't worry, it won't happen again...I know nothing of politics.)

4. Sometimes I look for controversial pins, (ie. skinny girls in bras, pictures of puppies that might have been bought at "puppy mills", political pins etc) just so I can read the outraged comments.  It's highly entertaining to me.

5.  Verbally abusive Nike posters would never motivate me to work out.  Its makes me want to just sit on the couch out of spite. (Now  I'm starting to sound like those grumpy comment leavers...oops).

Moving on from Pinterest:

6. Sometimes I think I neglect my girl duties.  For example, I never remove my toe nail polish...I just slowly clip it away when it's time for a trim.  I don't ever wear lipstick.  I don't wear perfume either...whenever I spray on one of the samples at the mall, I feel as if everyone I walk by is judging my scent.  I share deodorant with my husband.  I don't use a loofa...sometimes I even use my shampoo as body wash.  I NEVER wash my makeup off before I go to bed.  I let my fingernails grow until they break, therefore my nails are hardly ever uniform.  I've never used powder on my face.  I don't own a robe.  Wow, I sound hideous.

7.  Yesterday we were at an intramural soccer game that Chris was playing in.  One of the other married guys on the team was saying that the single people were complaining that the game was on a Friday night.  He said he was glad, because it gave him and his wife something to do.  I couldn't agree more.  Both Chris and I have often lamented that married people lack things to do on weekends.  I think we just need more couple-friends.

8.  When I was single I was told not to kiss boys unless it meant something/I was dating them seriously.  And if I did I would regret it when I got married.  Well, I'm married and looking back I wish I would have grabbed life more by the horns and kissed a few of those fools instead of being so self conscious   Both Chris and I agree on this.  It wouldn't have changed anything in our marriage.  I just wished we would have lived it up.  Just like we plan on living up every moment of our lives now.  We both ended up where we were supposed to be...so why didn't we have a little fun on the way.  This may sound odd, but that's how it is.

9.  Aside from what the previous two comments may have made you think...I love being married.  It has been better than I could have imagined.  I love that Chris and I still wink at each other from across the room and spank each other in passing.  I love that we play legos sometimes and laugh at each other's jokes.  I love that I get to cuddle with my best friend every night and that we would rather be with each other than anyone else and we go out of our way to make it happen.  It's just great having a bestie always there to go through life with.

10.  Sometimes I get annoyed with the rage in which people hate Justin Bieber.  He is in fact a living person with feelings.  Sometimes when I hear people express their hate for him, I feel like they are talking about a convicted felon or terrorist.  Simmer down peeps...simmer down.  He just sings some slightly annoying songs...which last time I checked was not a crime.          

That is all.

Jack at 2 months

Little Jack-o-lantern (as Mandi calls him, and it's quite catching) is now two months old.  Here are some more Top 3's about the little Brevis. 

Top Three Cutest Things He Does:

1.  He has started to smile! For reals and not just in his sleep.  His smile is so big and he scrunches up his little nose...adorbs.  (Don't hate on me for using the word "adorbs").

2.  He has started talking to himself and making these cute little gurgling sounds.

3.  Sometimes he breaths really hard for a few seconds and then he either sneezes three times or just does this dramatic sigh.  Both are so cute.  I never knew sneezes could melt my heart so.

Top Three Least Cute Things He Does:

1.  Spits Up.

2.  Scratches his face with his hands because he still lacks arm control.

3.  He's started to cry and get fussy at night.  I've heard about this and I guess it's normal.  Something about sensory overload during the day.  He sleeps most of the day so I'm not sure what to think about that.  And it's not like when he is awake we are having neon, strobe light raves in the family room...or are we?

Top 3 Ailments:

1.  His little man bits got infected after he was circumcised.  That was no fun as one might imagine.

2.  He is developing flat head...on the sides of his head.  We have been trying to get him to lay on the back of his head more because I don't want to have to deal with the dreaded baby helmet.  

3.  Stuffy nose.  It is especially clogged in the mornings.  We feel like we have a little pug dog a lot of the time.  Which is fine with me...I've always wanted one and Chris doesn't, so I guess this is my way of sneaking one in.

Top 3 things we lucked out with, with this baby:

1.  We feed him at about 10:30-11:00pm and then swaddle him, sing him a few songs, read him a story, say a prayer and put him to bed.  Then he sleeps until about 7 in the morning.  Whereupon I feed him and he sleeps for about another 4 hours.  I told this to Chris's Aunt.  She told me that I shouldn't think we were doing anything awesome as parents, some kids are just easier than other ones.  And someday, we will get a child that doesn't sleep through the night and then we'll realize we didn't do anything special.  I'm not going to lie, I was feeling quite awesome about our parenting abilities...not anymore.  Not anymore.

2.  Other than being a little fussy at night...He really doesn't cry that much.

3.  He eats like a starved hippo.  We never need to worry about him being too skinny.  He is about as long and weighs about as much as a bunch of other kids older than him.  This is good and bad.  People always expect him to be able to hold his head up all the way and do cool tricks because he is so big.  They forget how young he really is.  He just seems like this giant luggish baby.  An adorable giant luggish baby.  

Here follows about a million pictures of Jack.  If you want, you can peace out now.  I never understood why people would put up so many pictures of their babies.  I felt like they all looked the same and were bor-ing.   But now I'm doing the same thing.  Each picture is so different and cute to me.  What have I become?!

I guess that's not as many as I thought.  I've showed restraint.  Anywho, I just love my little man and miss him whenever he's not with me.  Sometimes I just love him so much it hurts my heart...is that a thing?  It is now.  Chris and I still just look at him and are so amazed at how much we love him.  

Pictures I Neglected to Put Anywhere Else

 These beauties are slippers that Mandi gave me a few years ago.  I'm not going to lie, when I opened that gift and saw two giant St. Bernards staring back at me, I might have just said, "Oh..."  But now I appreciate them fully, or I guess I should say Chris does.  He saw these bad boys in some stuff I was going through from my parents house and exclaimed, "Why have you been hiding these from me!?" He was so excited and has since adopted them.  I would like to point out that the feet go into the St. Bernard's mouth...he is literally (said like the guy on Parks and Recreation) eating your feet.  I threw in the baby St. Bernard for fun in this pic. 

 Chris sexy-modeling the Nards.

 A cute little Jack cry...BABY MANDRAKE!  (as in the death screaming plants from Harry Potter) 

 Jack on his blessing day.  In this adorable little outfit my Grandma Walker crocheted.  I think he looks like a tiny Scotsman.  

 At a BYU Hockey game.  So, last year when we were at a BYU hockey game, a rogue puck went flying over those glass partitions and smacked this girl straight in the mouth.  There was blood everywhere and she lost some teeth.  It was gnarly.  So at this game Chris and I practiced yelling, "PUCK!" and covering Jack as fast as we could.  It felt like a bomb drill in the 1950's (at least how they portrayed those in that one episode of Boy Meets World where they go back in time and Tapanga has extra big hair).

 Little man and his dad.

And later that night.  Aren't they adorable? I think all baby hoods should have little bear ears.

At the fort Dallan and Chris built.  I was snapping pictures and the next thing I knew, Dallan had crawled on the roof and Chris was passing Jack up to him.  I was so confused, I just kept snapping pictures and asking questions.  "What are you doing? (snap) Why do you have Jack by the ladder? (snap) Are you really taking him up there? (snap)  Is this safe? (snap) Well since you're already up there...(snap, snap, zoom, snap).  Apparently Chris and Dallan had this whole thing all planned.  No wonder it all happened so fast and stealth like.

 Jack "helping" build the fort.

 Little baby, big hammer.

An adorable picture of Blaik from when Chris, Jack and I visited the Lotzes in Page.

TWIN PHOTO! Notice how we have both mastered the angle that compliments our faces the best?

 And all together! I like how both Blair and Jack are staring at Ben.

More cute photo's from when Chris's papa took our family pics.

Decorating the Christmas tree.  We bought a real one.  The first of my life.  I never knew real trees could be that voluptuous and wonderful.  P.S. No make-up alert.  Good thing I'm working "the angle". 

 Our completed tree.  All these little ornaments are the ones Chris made when he was a wee lad.  We looked like we had a 7-year-old, when in fact it was just the man of the house's rockin' crafty ornaments. 

 Jack "putting up an ornament".  We like to pretend Jack can hold things.  After going to the Festival of Tree's, I decided the theme for out tree would be, blue and silver childhood.

My ornament wreath that Chris and I made.  Or I should say it was my ornament wreath.  We lacked a door hook and so we used those peel and stick hook things.  Well one day I hit the wreath with my big head when I was trying to get out the door while carrying a hundred pound car seat.  When I came home, the wreath was smashed on the ground and ornaments where everywhere.  Under people's cars and in the bushes.  I persevered though, and Chris helped me hot glue those ornaments back on and this time I decided to get a decent hook, but none was to be found.  Finally I settled for a 4 inch hook.  Which any self-respecting wreather knows is way too short.  So I decided to lengthen it with a ribbon.  Good plan, until I realized the hook was too small to fit over the top of the door.  I put it on anyway and shut the front door.  Whereupon the door bent the hook so that it was no longer a hook but an L shape.  Genius that I am, I opened the front door and CRASH!, the wreath fell again.  So we had no wreath this year.  We looked like the Grinches of the block.  And that is the longest story you've ever heard concerning a door ornament. 

It was quite beautiful though.

365 Days of Owls

It's begun...My adventure in a new owl everyday of the year.  Check it out here. 

Clearly this blog is not in sequential order.

I'm going to turn the sands of time back a wee tad...to Chris and I's anniver-si-ary. 

We celebrated our anniversary a couple of weeks before little J was born.  (I wanted to be like those cool bloggers who don't put their child's full name.)  It was our Baby-moon, if you will.  And what a splendid little baby-moon it  was.  We scooted our booties on up to Park City and stayed in this marvelous hotel that is part of the lifts/lodge for Park City Ski area.

Our room was fancy-schmancy.  And more importantly, it was clean.  There are few things I despise more than a dirty hotel room.  Since these rooms were individually owned, it was sort of a gamble as to what we were going to get.  But it was well furnished and included a family room and kitchen.  There was also a...wait for it...murphy bed (silent scream!)  The murphy bed was actually quite nice and we didn't get snapped shut in it like I feared we would.  And other than a reference in the room's guest book about a murdering father, it was quite a nice room.  

We spent our time waddling around Park City, taking a ride on the ski lift, going out to eat, carving pumpkins and swimming in the pool.  The ski lift was perhaps my favorite part.  It was great to just sit together and look at the scenery.   Sometimes on those things I fear I will fall to my death, or I wonder what would happen if you were on one of those lifts when an earthquake struck (I don't know why but the phrase that comes to mind is...swinging dingle-berry).  None of that happened however, and we had a lovely time.  One random stranger passing the other direction even snapped our picture.  Oh, and while we waited in line we witnessed quite the scene.  A large lady on the zip line, skidded to halt about 10 feet before the platform.  Her swinging legs didn't help and neither did the ropes they tried to throw.  It took about 10 minutes before they finally figured out a way to pull her safely home.  It was a little sad, but mostly hilarious.  

Don't I look adorable in this child's hat?

This is Chris's, "I can't believe this little scoop of gelato cost me $4.25," expression.

At the top of the ski lift.

Ditto.

Chris came up with a creative way to get his pattern to stick to his pumpkin.

Melani, Chris and Jack's pumpkin.

Chris made me breakfast-in-murphy-bed.  We had orange juice, eggs, bacon, and Great Harvest cinnamon french toast.  I look very enthused, I know. 

Complete with a one year anniversary candle. 

It was a delightful trip and a great way to spend our last little alone time together.  I just love my Chris so much and have loved the time I've been married to him.  It has been the best year of my life.  And I bet each year will just get better and better. 

Jack vs. New Years

New Years Won.

And yes, I copied Mandi.