Lydia sick – Page 2 – Darais Days

Pioneer Day!

It’s late because we had a long night out with family and fireworks, so just pictures today. Abe has to get up at 5:45 am to take the train! Oh, I guess I should mention that he took the train today and realized the Provo bus was cancelled because today is Pioneer Day (a Utah state holiday, potentially bigger than July 4 here). He walked six miles to work. And then at the end he forded a river because he couldn’t find a bridge. Balu pointed out Abe had his own little Pioneer Day trek!

This morning the girls woke up early, so we raced down to the church for the Pioneer Day breakfast.

Then we went to the parade:

Isabella babysat the girls this afternoon so I could go swimming. Then I came home, made a salad, and headed over (with Abe and Balu) to the Miners’ family gathering for dinner and fireworks.

Pre-fireworks. Once those started, she was pretty scared and not quite this happy.

On the way home, we parked by a hill and watched the Liberty Park fireworks and were blown away. They were definitely better than the 4th of July fireworks, and we thought those were pretty good! Well, it is Pioneer Day. In Utah. Light the sky on fire! (I can see and hear sooooooo many fireworks as I type…)

One of the best days ever!!!!! (and no pictures to show it ): )

Hi, it’s me, Abe. Lily’s new cooking school semester started so she is there tonight. I do miss her when she is gone, but on the bright side, it is only twice per week this semester (if you count Saturday’s competition team), and also I get tons of joy envisioning Lily doing something she loves so much. I also have become a little more of a foodie since she started and I find myself genuinely interested in what she is cooking at what things she is learning. What fun! I didn’t talk to Lily much today, but I know that she went to the gym, had a play date with Misty and did homework…..I wish I knew more!

As far as my day, I was blessed to have one of the best work days I think I have ever had in my entire life. Everything today seemed to turn my way. Today I learned that I will get credit and commission for a deal that another salesman closed, because he quit and left, and the business got passed to me. I also had an amazing meeting that could very well turn into a deal that was passed to me by a friend who was in a different region. I also had another fantastic meeting that seems very promising. I’m now feeling like I’m poised to have a very good quarter. I know God led me to Qualtrics, and today felt like evidence as to why He led me to start my career over at an entry level position at Qualtrics. It was amazing and fun.

But that isn’t all. During work, one of my friends informed me that for all residents living in Salt Lake proper (not Sandy, West Valley, North Salt Lake etc) there is a HUGE discount for the Frontrunner train to Orem and Provo. I’ve thought about taking the train many times, but I just haven’t had quite the incentive to switch. Well, with this new discount, I will save about $2000 per year in gas money. Also, we wont need to save up to buy a new car soon since the commute was wearing our cars down so fast. Also, the train has wireless internet, so I can be productive. I was so excited. After meeting Lily at school and picking up the girls, I went straight to the Sorenson Unity Center and bought my pass. Hooray!

Which reminds me….the train does take longer, meaning my new wake time is 5:30 AM. It’s 10:30 now. I better sleep!

Funny exchanges, Sharon’s paper, and missing cats.

Today we started off early by heading over to Red Butte Gardens with Rose, Taina and Sev.

And then Paige was wonderful and watched the girls until their babysitter came an hour later. Yesterday I forgot to write down something funny Lydia said before Ada came over. Lydia is very conscious about what she wears in public, and she’s refused to appear in public with any pants that have holes in them. (Responding to my exasperation with tears streaming down her face: “But Mommy, what if someone sees the holes in my pants??”) She happened to be wearing a pair of holey pants before Ada came, and she ran into my room right before Ada arrived saying, “Mommy, I need to change my pants so Ada doesn’t think I’m a dorphan (orphan)!”

Anyway, today I drove down to Provo to see my friend, Sharon Harris, speak at the Neal A. Maxwell symposium. She delivered a brilliant paper on singles wards and her solution to current retention problems of older single adults. (Change some infantilizing terms, scale back the transition age to “conventional” wards to 25, etc. Her full paper will be posted online after the symposium concludes.)

Then I came home, went shopping with the girls, and came home and cooked dinner.

Lydia in full princess regalia before dinner.

We ate outside. In the summer we sometimes go on Tofurkey dog kicks, and tonight we had Tofurkey dogs. Lydia announced they looked like poop and refused to eat hers. After a while, she closely observed how I ate mine with gusto, and then asked, “Mommy, can I eat some of your poop?” We might have died laughing.

Afterward Abe took them to the park while I ate s’mores and cleaned up.

A really sad thing happened just now. Lydia told me that she took Puss and Casper (her two cats that she sleeps with and LOVES) outside to play in the sprinklers with Ada. She never brought them back inside, and now we can’t find them. I asked her why she did that after I’d told her not to, and she tearfully replied, “Mommy, I did it because Puss wuvs (loves) to be siwwy (silly) and Casper reawwy wanted to pway (play)!” I felt so sorry for her. We said a prayer that we’d find them, and now I really do hope we find them.

grimy

This morning Isabella came over so I could go swimming, and then we all went to Jump Around Utah to celebrate Sophia’s birthday.

They had more fun on this slide than anything. Oh, the irony.

Mary headed to rescue her friends from the "hurricane room." — Mary headed to rescue her friends from the “hurricane room.”

Isabella and Mary did this slide over and over again.

Whenever they slid to the bottom, Mary would cry, "GAIN!!!" (Again!). — Whenever they slid to the bottom, Mary would cry, “GAIN!!!” (Again!).

After that, I fed the girls and then Kate, another new babysitter, came over while I went to yoga. I have been an absent mom lately. But my unlimited yoga pass expires in a month! I still feel guilty, though. Anyway, after yoga, I came back, showered, and cooked dinner.

Afterward, the girls played a bit before I headed off to my Primary meeting. They look bedraggled because I haven’t done anything to their hair since yesterday morning.

Lydia exclaiming, "Guys, it's beautiful out here today!" This is after only one day of not doing her hair. — Lydia exclaiming, “Guys, it’s beautiful out here today!” This is after only one day of not doing her hair.

Here’s how clean and tidy they looked yesterday morning:

But tonight I was literally scrubbing grime off of Lydia’s face in her bath. It’s amazing how dirty kids can get is such a short period of time–and we went swimming yesterday, too! That grime basically accumulated all today.

While I was at my meeting, Abe took the girls on a walk to the park.

Lydia's natural expression. Mary's natural expression. — Lydia’s natural expression. Mary’s natural expression.

Ode to Isabella

Abe and I have a lot to give thanks for today. He had a fantastic day at work and I had a wonderful day at home. Well, actually, I spent a lot of the time at yoga because Abe’s cousin is now on the babysitting market, and she charges the same rate as my gym childcare. Lydia has begged me to let Isabella babysit her, and even though I was initially hesitant because Isabella is slightly on the young side, I finally relented.

When I got home from yoga, not only was Mary peacefully napping, but Lydia and Isabella were happily chatting away in Lydia’s clean room. That’s right. Isabella and Lydia cleaned while I was at yoga. Isabella found her way to my heart strings today. I should have snapped more photos of Lydia hugging Isabella, which she did spontaneously and with great affection multiple times, but I was just too busy trying to do laundry and deep clean the house. Isabella hung out with us for the rest of the day, and when Mary got up, we all went to the pool for a little bit.

Then we came back home and ate dinner. Abe took the girls to buy a present for Sophia’s birthday party tomorrow, and I stayed home and “cleaned.” (I actually spent most of the time eating banana bread.)

We held FHE when Abe and the girls returned. I gave a little lesson on the flag and then we drew pictures of the flag on Sophia’s wrapping paper.

birthdays

This morning was my first Sunday in my new calling. I enjoyed the Primary, although I am a little overwhelmed at the prospect of learning everyone’s names. I also am not quite sure how to make myself most useful, but I’m sure that that will become clear in time.

We left church soon after Sacrament meeting (our last meeting) because Mary was inconsolable. We came home, ate, took naps, and then had a family council. Abe loves to plan for the week, and he really wanted to plan as a family. This is what it looked like:

A little hectic.

We Skyped right afterward with Clark and Swathi. The sound on my iPad broke last week, so Skyping is a lot more complicated now. Nevertheless, it was great to chat with Clark and Swathi. We love them so much.

Then we headed to the Miners’ for birthday celebrations.

Katie played while holding Mary. Impressive.

Abe discussing how much he loves his job and why.

Waiting for the birthday festivities to begin.

We moved Lydia under the counter so she could see the action.

We celebrated Clint's birthday. He and Heather live in Phoenix but were in town. It was great getting to know them better! — We celebrated Clint’s birthday. He and Heather live in Phoenix but were in town. It was great getting to know them better!

Charlie and Henry trying to blow out the trick candles once and for all.

It was Steve's birthday, too. Henry helped blow out the candles. — It was Steve’s birthday, too. Henry helped blow out the candles.

Steve with his parents. The cutest picture of the day, I think.

This is a picture Abe took yesterday after the market (that I forgot to post).

Yoga, Market, Baptism, Wedding.

Today was another 5:15 am day. I have an unlimited Bikram yoga pass for a month AND today is the last Saturday that my studio offers a 6 am class. There was no way I could miss it! After that, I came home, showered, scarfed down one of Abe’s fabulous pancakes, and took the girls to the market. (I had to wake Abe at 5:30 to help me find his car keys, and so he needed a nap.)

Lydia pushing Mary to the market. Mom, can you see the stickers you sent them on their dresses?

Lydia and Mary each got to pick a rock for a quarter.

The sweet, kind men at the rock stand let the girls have some rocks for free, too.

We ran into Nathan and Hannah (and Gregory) at the market! Not pictured: We also ran into Karin and Jay.

After the market, we came home and rested for a minute. I had to play the piano for a baptism at 12:30, so it was a quick rest. Abe was really sweet and gave me a shin massage because yesterday’s 10,000 steps gave me shin splints. Pathetic, I know. With the greatest reluctance, I cut the massage off and headed over to the baptism.

The baptism was absolutely wonderful. I sat down with Jessica Felix (who got baptized) afterward, and she told me her amazing conversion story. She kept referring to how wonderful “that Mormon book” is and even quoted passages to me–spontaneously, with great enthusiasm. She was incredibly inspiring. I’m so glad she’s part of our ward family now.

After I got home from the baptism, I discovered the girls eating a big lunch.

Then it was errands and a wedding. Abe’s cousin got married today, and since we couldn’t make it to the sealing this morning, we headed up to their reception in Midway tonight. Midway is so beautiful. For a minute, I thought maybe we should move there…and then I thought about how cold it is (it’s up in the mountains) and how Abe would have to commute through a canyon everyday. No thanks. But as the setting for a reception (it was at Susie’s aunt’s house), it was perfect.

Lydia painted Isabella some pictures a couple days ago and put them in an envelope. She was so happy to give Isabella the pictures today when we carpooled en route to the wedding.

Isabella and Lydia on the bench while the rest of us went through the line.

Susie made these darling flower garlands.

I'd never had dippin' dots before. They're cold! And tasty. — I’d never had dippin’ dots before. They’re cold! And tasty.

The house had a beautiful, Martha Stewart worthy garden. — The house had a beautiful, Martha Stewart-worthy garden.

This was the biggest, most healthy looking rhubarb plant I have ever seen.

Eating their dippin' dots. — Eating their dippin’ dots.

Sadie is one week apart from Mary, and you can kind of see a resemblance, I think. Her mother and Abe are cousins.

Since the reception only had desserts, Abe and I took the girls straight to Whole Foods afterward and filled up. Lydia kept running around saying, “I’m so healthy! Who’s a healthy girl??? Me!!! I am!!! I’m so healthy!!”

We also discovered that Mary looooooves pepperoni pizza. Since we were so late, Whole Foods sold us a leftover pizza for a discounted price. We didn’t break it open until the car ride home, and Mary went totally nuts. She can’t even say three syllable words yet, but in the middle of the ride she said, “pah-pah-roh-nee” and pointed vigorously at the pizza box. She ended up eating an entire slice by herself.

I comforted myself about the late hour on the way home by thinking, “Oh, well. If we’re fifteen minutes late to church tomorrow, no big deal.” And then I remembered that I have a calling now that requires me to get to church on time. Sorry to say it, but darn. Guess I’ll get to bed ASAP so the morning isn’t quite so painful.

Because we got to bed at such a wonderfully reasonable time last night, I didn’t mind waking up at 5:15 to go running. I ran around the track behind Ensign Elementary School, and from the track there’s a gorgeous view of the entire Salt Lake Valley. While I was running, the sun rose over the mountains, and, well, it was thrilling.

Then I came home and got ready for the day. The girls have been sleeping in lately, which generally is wonderful, except when we have places to go. Today we rushed breakfast so we could make it to story time at the library.

Another reason we are late everywhere. The girls get distracted en route to the car (a thirty second walk).

Lydia was really excited that Mary has teeth. Mary has had teeth for a while, but I guess Lydia didn't notice until today. — Lydia was really excited that Mary has teeth. Mary has had teeth for a while, but I guess Lydia didn’t notice until today.

On the way to the library, Lydia loves to push Mary in the stroller.

Story time at the library. Today the kids all got bee hats (today we had an insect theme) and mini kazoos!

On the way to the library, we met an artist headed to the Salt Lake Arts Festival. She makes purses, and her purses were so beautiful that I decided to drive to my school to pick up some free tickets. (I volunteered at a catering event a while back, and all the volunteers got tickets as a thank-you.) Since we were already in Draper, we headed to Ikea for lunch.

Ikea frozen yogurt. We made a mess on the window... — Ikea frozen yogurt. We made a mess on the window…

After Ikea we went to the post office to pick up Abe’s birthday present to me–a replacement iPod for the one we lost over a year ago. Then I did a couple more errands before heading home.While Mary napped, I called all the babysitters we know until Abe’s cousin turned out to be free. I have an unlimited yoga pass this month, so I woke Mary from her nap, dropped the girls off at Abe’s cousin’s house and headed to yoga.

Then we came home and got ready to go to the Arts Festival.