Favorite Books

A Christmas Carol
A Tale of Two Cities
A Town Like Alice
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Agnes Grey

All But My Life
All Creatures Great and Small (series)
Anne of Green Gables (series)
Big Stone Gap

Circle of Friends
Don't Bite Me, I'm Santa Claus

The Forgotten Garden
The Glass Castle
The Giver
Glimpses into the Life and Heart of Marjorie Hinckley
Gods and Generals
Good Families Don't Just Happen
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Help

I Capture the Castle

The Ladies' Auxiliary
Little Men
Little Women
Persuasion
Precious Bane
Pride & Prejudice
Sense & Sensibility
Silas Marner
These is My Words
Thoughts of a Grasshopper
Truman

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman

Wives & Daughters

The Little Basics

MATTHEW

Age 9, in the fourth grade; almost as tall as his mother.

Three great loves are BYU football, golf, and books (a little of me in him, much more of Matt).

Enjoyed playing in his first golf tournament this past summer.

Just started tackle football for the first time (Matt: "That's my boy." Cissy: "I think flag football was just fine.").

Happy, easygoing, bounces back quickly from upset, helpful, smart, eager.

JAMIE BETH
Age 5 1/2; in kindergarten; sweet and petite.

Loves dress-up, princesses, fairy tales, coloring, and her purple bike.

Would like to have girlfriends over to play every day.

Took her first dance class earlier this year; loved the practices, the recital, and of course, the purple dance costume.

Giggly, creative, sensitive, helpful, wants to copy mom in everything (cooking, sewing, putting on makeup, etc.)

DALLIN
Almost 4; big kid at home with mom; as tall as sister, at least 10 pounds heavier.

Loves cars, new scooter, playing make-believe with Jamie Beth (she's the mom, he's the big bad race car), animals and bugs and all things outdoors.

Has a unique way of pronouncing words, a unique way of phrasing his thoughts, and unique (hilarious) facial expressions.

Makes us laugh, super-sensitive soul, very friendly, fast learner. Everyone needs a Dallin.

NATHANIEL

18 months; runs faster than his mom.

Loves animals, especially birds in our backyard; draws and colors on the walls (!!!); enjoys being outside, even just for a stroller-walk; already likes golf and throwing balls.

Unusual way of voicing in the back of his throat, but does say mama, dada, wawa (water), wow, and "set, go!"; takes everything apart (see post on outlet covers); wants to be with the big kids.

Sweet, sweet, sweet, absolutely loveable and cuddly; fearless and a little crazy; curious (aka: gets into things faster than we can blink); fanastic, giggly laugh that makes us laugh, too.

Is it just me...

or do outlet covers often create problems instead of preventing them? Once Nathaniel started crawling, our pediatrician asked me if I had covered all electrical outlets. I think I grimaced. No, I had not taken this safety precaution like a good mother should have done. I had a feeling that once those little plastic pieces highlighted the "no-no's", Nate would be drawn to this previously un-noticed curiosity. I had, after all, seen our other children discover the fun of outlet covers. But, now that our respected doctor had asked, I felt guilty and knew I had to dig out the covers from our box of baby sundries.

This morning I walked down the hallway and passed Nate as he sat quietly engrossed with--you guessed it--removing outlet covers. (This was not the first time, by the way. This was simply the first time he has done it since I had a blog to use for writing remarks about it.)

So, what do I do now? Buy childproof covers for the "childproof" covers?

First Day

This morning was much quieter than usual, with just the two little ones at home with me.

Matthew actually started the fourth grade a week ago, but Jamie Beth went to kindergarten for the first time this morning. She is such a little munchkin to be starting school! She was a bit disappointed not to ride the bus this morning, but Matt and I preferred dropping her off...along with documenting the event, of course. She'll be fine, I know; but what about her frequent bloody noses? and what if her teacher can't give her all the love her sweet, sensitive heart craves? and why is there no snack time, even if they are there for only three hours? I eat snacks at home all day long!

As for Matthew, all he needs is a pile of books along with some free reading time, plenty of friends to play football with him at recess, and pizza day every Tuesday. He was proud to tell us that he was top student in the class spelling assessment today; he spelled more than one hundred words before reaching the 10-words-incorrect threshold. I hope his teacher enjoys and appreciates his eagerness as much as I do. He has been a delight (most of) this summer as we have shared some great books together. I already miss having a super helper to act as momentary babysitter and sibling entertainer.

Do they have to go to school? I suppose so, since I'm not about to homeschool them. They probably need more education than just reading 19th-century novels with their mom.

The Basics

May 2008, Aerokobing, Denmark

MATT

Work: Computer programmer at The Generations Network

Enjoys: Golf and BYU football

Magazines he reads: Ensign, GolfDigest

Interesting facts: has narcolepsy; was once in an infomercial; served as an LDS missionary in three different missions (Ireland, Provo, Tucson).

Would like to: start a business; vacation on a tropical island; win the Master's; be less sleepy.

May 2008, Copenhagen, Denmark

CISSY
Work: Uses Family Science degree daily as a wife, mother, and homemaker.

Enjoys: Reading, "Jane Austen" films (and others of similar flavor), good food, trying to develop sewing and gardening skills.

Magazines I read: Ensign, Smithsonian, BYU Magazine, Eating Well

Interesting facts: Can wiggle my nose like Samantha on "Bewitched"; like to drive cross-country; crochet left-handed (I'm right-handed).

Would like to: live in Germany for a year; sell something on Etsy; plant a beautiful garden; take more college courses.

Finally...

Putting aside all (well, some) of my self-consciousness, I think I can start this blog now.  

I had wanted everything--fonts, banner, colors, my ability to upload photos--to be perfect before I invited friends and family; I have now accepted the apparent fact that my goal will be an ongoing process rather than a final product.  

Besides, I'm thinking in blog post titles lately.