dibs.

When I was in high school, I used to go grocery shopping with my mom. We'd stop by the freezer section at the beginning, grab a box of Dibs, and snack on them as we shopped. Ever had Dibs? They are little bites of ice cream covered in a shell of chocolate. Highly recommend them. So, here are a few bites of our lives, covered in chocolate (along with a few fab phone pix):

Carly had a small case of the croup. Or as Chris called it "the whoop". One night I came downstairs and he was googling info and he said "an estimated 300,000 deaths!" and I thought From the croup? and I went and looked and he had totally googled "Whooping cough". Oh, dear, I love him. Anyway. Sunday night she was all wheezy and doing that fabulous barking cough. She was making us mighty nervous, and I was about 30 seconds from heading to the ER, but instead we went for a misty night drive, gave her a steamy bath, and put her down with a humidifier. By Tuesday she was almost as good as new. Carly is just about the healthiest child in the world, and I'm grateful for that. Even when she is sick, its short lived. The only thing that makes me nervous is she is so stubborn and strong. She was wheezing so bad and we'd ask her how she was feeling and she'd say "no, I'm ok". Someday she is going to break an arm and I'll have no idea. She got a double bee sting a few weeks ago and barely cried and as I held ice on it she kept saying "I'm ok, mama." A week earlier Chris got stung and I didn't hear the end of it (ha! jokes, jokes).

[down with the whoop . . . I mean, the croup.]



We've been experiencing endless rain and a lot of exhaustion (ok, that's just me) so we've found a few indoor activities. Carly keeps asking to go swimming, so one day I put her swimsuit on and put her in the tub. Bam! Swimming! It has since become a favorite past time and I have one been required to join her in my swimsuit once. We also finally set up a plaything with a slide on it that Chris's parents got her for her birthday. We set it up in the kitchen with the intention of moving it outside, but it won't stop raining. And I actually like it in the kitchen because she plays on it while I do dishes instead of emptying the dishwasher as I load it.

[making mommy's bed. i knew she'd become useful eventually.]



She is talking in longer sentences and the other day used a very complex sentence where she got both of the prepositions right. I was impressed. And the questions are getting worse. If she fixates on something, she won't let it go. On an episode of the Bubble Guppies, there is this giant robot bunny. She has asked by 5 million times "Where big robot bunny go?". I've told her all sorts of places, and once said "the mountains". "The mountains?" she asked. Then stopped to ponder that. Maybe he really did go to the mountains. She also understands so much. On another episode (yes, we're still watching a lot of tv around these parts, but at least it leads to learning opportunities, right?) there is a giant squid that eats a turkey sandwich. We were sitting at dinner and Carly asked "Where giant squid go?". I said "He had to go eat dinner too, just like us." And she replied "Squid go eat a turkey sandwich!". I told you. Brilliant.

[blowing bubbles. good grief, look at those curls.]

As for me, I'm going to the doctor tomorrow and I'm excited. I'm pretty sure pregnancy is the only time anyone is excited about the doctor. I should be finding out when our ultrasound will be. That will be fun. I started out this week pretty sick, and the last 2 days have felt decent. I've even been somewhat productive, doing the dishes and laundry and what not. I still don't like cooking. Food, in general, is gross. But I did hang some things up in our kitchen that have been sitting on the table forever and it feels a little more homey. My parents got me this cute Michigan State whiteboard when they came. I hung it next to the fridge and every day have been doing "This day in history". I'm a massive history nerd, so its fun for me, and I try to pick one out from the History Channel website that might appeal to Chris too. I think it will be fun for our kids someday, and if its not, too bad. They have a nerdy mom.

[new kitchen decor.]

Chris is as good as they come. September 17 marked the 6th anniversary of our first date. I can't believe how much can change in 6 years. But I still think he is the cutest boy I've ever seen. We have both aged. Chris has these crows feet next to his eyes. They make him look older and I like it. The boy is aging well. But when he smiles his eyes scrunch up. That's where the crows feet are from. So they are really more like smile lines. I'm glad he has them. He has been getting the shaft lately. I've entered the phase where I'm still sick but also really hormonal and have a tendency to cry or get irritated. And I have a space bubble that I don't like anyone encroaching. Its not easy to be married to me right now. And Carly is in a "mommy phase", I think just because we spend an outrageous amount of time one-on-one. My poor husband. I don't know how he puts up with us girls. I can't believe he wants another one.

[she pulls out this adorable little move when she is pondering upon an answer to your question.]

When Carly naps, I try to, too. I've been finding I have a hard time actually sleeping, but it is important for me to lie down and rest. I have the Mormon Channel app on my phone, and I've recently been listening to General Conference talks while I rest. I always end up crying, because even though I pick random talks from random years, its always something I need to hear. The other day I was listening to President Uchtdorf give a talk from October 2010 called Of Things That Matter Most.  It was a talk about simplifying. He talked about trees, and when times are good, trees grow faster (I'm paraphrasing, obviously). But in difficult times, they slow down and hold steady. He talked about how we need to simplify our lives and when we go through hard times, we need to slow down and hold steady and just focus on what is most important. I've had a lot of mommy guilt since I've been sick. This summer I had a grand plan for things I wanted to do with Carly this fall, and every single one has fallen by the wayside. But President Uchtdorf reminded me that when things are hard, you don't have to do it all. You just have to do whats most important. Carly is fed (except those few times I forgot to give her breakfast), and safe (except that one time I lost her in Target), and loved. Oh, boy, is she loved. And she knows it. So I'm doing ok. For right now, I'm doing ok.

So can you tell I'm excited for Conference? When I was younger, I used to watch Conference with the expectation of some major life-altering announcement. But I've learned that much of Conference is things we've already heard or know. It all just comes out in new ways, so it can be replanted in our hearts, and so it can impact us in the way we need it to for each phase of our lives. What a blessing.

That's all I got.
Might have to send Chris out for some Dibs tonight.

xoxo.