On the Library

My mom is a children's librarian. Well, THE children's librarian as far as my kids are concerned. Not that we don't like other librarians - we do. It's just that they pale in comparison to THE librarian.

Also they think she OWNS the library. "Yay! We can go to GRAMMA'S library!!!" they shout when we go to grandma's library. Which isn't often, cuz you know, it's nearly ten whole minutes away.

What I'm trying to show you here is that my kids are library spoiled.

They get special treatment, many of the other librarians know them, they are sometimes allowed behind the counter, and they almost always leave Grandma's library with a treat. Plus they've spent enough time there that they are unreasonably comfortable with the whole place. Even the creepy stairwell to get downstairs. They just really love Grandma's library.

Plus Grandma is always telling us about the cool programs they're doing. Like 1,000 books before kindergarten.

I signed the boys up in January, and last week we finally turned in the first chart of 100 books.

The each read (listened to me read) 100 books and colored in their chart and got these awesome library bags as a prize. We already had a million books checked out from our library, which cooperates with my mom's library and when the boys got their new bags, they couldn't figure out why we'd leave the library without filling them up with a million more books. The good news is that even though the libraries cooperate and allow you to check out from either one with either card, they don't tell on you for already having a million books already checked out.

Which is why we currently have TWO million library books at our house. Suckers. We really took them didn't we?

(heaven help me if I lose even one of them...)

A Little Indecisive

Probably my favorite thing about fall in Utah is the weather variety. I really do.

Last week we had a picnic because the weather was just so stunningly beautiful. I wore flip flops. Let's pretend that means something. My boys did not wear jackets. That actually does mean something.

That night there was a big storm knocking a bunch of apples off our tree, so Josh picked them up off the floor while the snow started. 

Then while we waited for it to accumulate we juiced the apples and got them ready to bottle. For future record a 5 gallon bucket of apples makes 7 quarts of apple juice.

But if there's anything we love more than a beautiful warm picnic having day, it's a snow day.

Seriously. We really REALLY love snow. This might have been the most fun we've had.....ever.

The Best

One of the best things about being a Mormon is that people just randomly show up with full-blown meals at my door without even being asked.

One of the best things about those meals is that they are always good. It's possible that this is not the case everywhere, but our delicious-to-meal record is 3 for 3. Seriously, move into my neighborhood, you won't be sorry. I now have 3 new recipes of things that both of my eating boys like enough to lick their plates.

One of the best things about licked plates is not rinsing before the dishwasher.

One of the best things about the dishwasher is that it's currently not my job. Because my job is to nurse John.

One of the best things about breastfeeding is that it trumps all other jobs. Every. Single. Time.
"Sorry, I can't do the dishes, Johnny's hungry."
"The laundry needs to be changed and I'm feeding John"
"The house is on fire, can you carry me? Little John is eating right now."

There are loads of good things that come with a new baby, these are just a few of the best.

The Hat

Sometimes Tommy's allowed to play with Daddy's hat.

Which is awesome because it makes him so SO happy. 

Nothing beats this smile.

Day 6 - Books

Day 6 - Your favorite book.

Huck Finn - A classic which has been my "favorite book" since high school. This book makes me laugh out loud and I simply love every part of it.


Mitford Series - I have a tiny old-lady crush on Father Tim. When Josh grows up, I hope he become a rector.


Anne of Green Gables - A bathtub book.


The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - There are a few lines from this book that are a permenant part of my vocabulary. ("Love to Little Johnny and more to you,") and I immediately fell in love with the entire society.


In a nutshell I love book which are "charming" and "delightful" just as much I love boys who are "sharp". It's the 80-year-old inside me.

Daddy's boy

Tommy and Josh have a bond that I suspect I will never understand.

That's just one reason it breaks my heart that Josh is home so little. Tommy sometimes goes days without seeing his father. I wish Josh could stick around long enough to see Thomas every morning and be home before bedtime every night. But the mornings that they do see each other before Josh leaves seem to be worse.

Josh only has to work 8 hours today (let's hear it for the weekend! woot woot!) so he bummed around here later than normal today.

He played with Tommy, they ate breakfast together, showered together and then Josh left for work.

Tommy didn't notice the exact moment that Josh walked out the door, but within 5 minutes started crawling all around the house methodically looking for his father.

As he crawled out of our bathroom and toward the living room again he started to sniffle and whine.

By the time he'd crossed the living room it was a full blown cry.

So I picked him up and cuddled him and told him that dad will be home tonight before bed and that I promised that dad would always always come home.

Then I put him down for a nap and cried. For more reasons than I can count.

One thing I love about our baby monitor...

One thing I love about our baby monitor is that I can take it on a walk clear around the block and it never looses reception.

Dear walks around the block with my husband in the cool fall air,

Welcome.

I love you,
love,
me

fall smells

I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but the weather has been positively beautiful the last few days. 

In Aundrea's words it's "so Amy-ish!" and yes. It is. I'm in heaven. 

So, I opened all of the windows a few days ago and haven't closed them yet. Because this time of year just smells. so. good. Unbearably good.

Until yesterday. 

We live withing spitting distance of Legacy parkway. And since the hippies built the parkway, it's protected wildlife/nature preserve all along it.

Which means that the animals roam free on the parkway, then get run over by the cars crawling along at a whopping 56 mph. 

It seems that more often than not 'the animals' = 'skunks'. 

So when I walked in the door yesterday the dead skunk smell had permeated the whole house.

Today the rain has cleared the smell and it really really smells like fall again. 

The days of naked mornings are long gone, socks and slippers are mandatory because I simply refuse to close these windows just yet. Because fall belongs inside my house.

It should be illegal to lock out fall.

Sugarhouse Park

Today we enjoyed fall.

It was unintentional really.

Spontaneous.

Beautiful.

Very "Josh and Amy 3 years ago". You know....before we had shows to watch, and sitting around to do.

We had to go to the library to return some books, and to get more children's books. Turns out we only have a few....not 12,000. Josh and Thomas have a lot of reading to do and Thomas isn't really into The Continuous Atonement.

On our way back to the freeway we got distracted by Sugarhouse Park.

How could we not stop? So we went for a very short walk. Took a quick picture (to prove that we're still fun.)

...and let Thomas crunch his first autumn leaves.

He was ecstatic.

If you ask me (you didn't, but you're reading this, so you have to pretend to be interested) it was the perfect afternoon. The weather was beautiful, the company was incredible, the baby happy, the husband wildly attractive, the leaves crunchy, the park green (and red and yellow) and the afternoon delightful. I love days like this.

I love fall and we almost missed it!

Sorry.....Also things I love.

I talk too much.
I'm too open.
I say words that make people uncomfortable.

For that, I'm sorry. But in my defense, it's all true!

Rest assured this post has nothing to do with body parts (reproductive or otherwise), babies, pregnancy, fluid of any sort, or Things The Dr. Does You Wish You Didn't Know About (now there's a great title for  post!).

This post is just your average every-day list of stuff I really like - because I'm grouchy and tired and I don't wanna spend my whole weekend that way: Also because I'm feeling self conscious about my last post being the one on top for even one more minute.

• The smell of rain. Or even sprinklers on a cool morning. I'm not picky.
• My family. All of them. But Josh, more than anyone else. Because Josh and I make a freakin' awesome family. Also all Fugals, Reilleys and Egberts and all of those related to them. I have an amazing family and I certainly don't deserve it, but I sure enjoy it!

• My pretty bottled peaches.
• Friends in the ward. I had an awesome baby shower last night and remembered all the reasons I love my ward. It's full of people who are kind and generous and concerned. People who genuinely care about each other and want to help. People who have great laughs and great jokes. And people who get along with each other. I love my ward.
• Fall. The leaves are changing color and getting crunchy. The Christmas lights are going up on Temple Square. And the mornings are cool enough that I wish I had a jacket. What's not to love?

• Reading a good book. Even if I can't go to book club because I'm learning how to have a baby, I love always having a list of good books to read.
• This day is over. And I get to start again tomorrow.
• A shoebox of photographs.
• Qwest finally found my money. That's comforting - it only took 64 days, 6 follow up phone calls (with an average hold time of 13 minutes) and 4 different payment research agents. Was it worth the $30 bill? Probably not, but it's a matter of principle! (Or is it a matter of principal? My mother would be ashamed...)
• The crib. Something about having a crib makes me feel more prepared. Imagine how high I'll be flying when it's actually set up!

smells delicious

I'm a sucker for a really great smell.....the basics you know?

Fresh baked bread.
Josh's cologne.
Water.
Rain.
Homemade cookies.
My Daddy.
The mountains.
Stale campfire smoke.

I could go on all day really, but I won't. Because this is a story about Garret. But I am interested, what are your favorite smells?

My 9 year old nephew was sitting on Josh's lap wrestling today. After a particularly rough game of I can hold your hands longer/tighter/tougher than you can hold mine he let go and said "oh great, now my hands smell like sweat" to which I replied, "yummy! Josh-sweat, now you smell like my husband!"

Garret's voice was thick with sarcasm. "Oh yeah. great. Josh-sweat." then he paused to think about it and informed me, "actually he smells great because he wears deodorant!" and attempted to bury his nose in Josh's armpits.

Little boys are awesome.

Happiest place on earth

Sure I've been to Disneyland....but I was like 3 and the Dumbo ride was too scary for me, let alone anything else. My non-existant memory of the place doesn't merit the "happiest place on earth" title.

However, this does.

I used to have a walking buddy named Dave. He and I would wander through the avenues all night long sometimes, our walks were different every time, but one of our favorite places to "wind up" was the top of the Hospital parking garage at the U.

When Josh and I started dating, I took him there on one of our first dates when I was showing him my favorite places. He immediately fell in love with the view and it's been one of "our places" ever since.

On Friday night when all I wanted to do was go home, curl up in a blanket, and cry, he claimed to have to hit a Redbox real quick, and somehow without my noticing we wound up here.

I quickly remembered why it's one of my favorite places, and why he's my favorite man.

You know when the view is good, the camera really won't do it justice.....but here's my pathetic attempt.


Don't judge me, I'd already puked 3 times since lunch.


Josh likes to climb on stuff....the nasty pile of snow in the corner is certainly not excluded. :)