Picto-purge and Story Time

You know you haven't been updating things very well on your blog when you have 272 pictures to upload from your camera. So, while my pictures load, I'll post some quick updates:

Brooklyn has been sick since Thursday morning, and she is not an easy sick patient. She has a sore throat, a scratchy voice, a cough, and a runny nose. At least it isn't croup, but her behavior is pretty terrible. I know you always hear about the terrible two's but I don't feel like they really hit with her until the last month. Now, it is typically a huge undertaking, with lots of threats, to change her diaper and get her clothes on. I threaten putting her in time out, taking her monkey away, and even spanking. She just walks away from me and puts herself in various corners of her room and I get to haul my pregnant self around with my threats and determination. I do try to follow through on my threats so she knows I mean what I say. I may want to revisit "Love and Logic" for reminders regarding what to do with a naughty two-year-old. Tantrums are also an everyday occurrence now, which tries my patience.

Lucy is such a mixed bag of tenderness and trial. We've been playing alphabet Go-Fish together to help her get better with her lower-case letter retention, and it's actually a lot of fun. I admitted to her one time that I had seen her card as she picked it up, and that's why I asked for that card. She just looked at me like, "Mom, really?" I love giving her hugs and kisses and praising her dancing and coloring skills. I keep trying to help her see that she is a princess because she is a daughter of God, the greatest king of all, but she still doesn't believe she's a princess. She is 100% in love with barbies, ponies, princesses, and her "best friends" and we did nothing to fuel that fire (except teaching her true doctrine about being a princess). Her deep-seeded obsession is just there. She's mad that I won't let her pick a Barbie movie for family movie night because no one else wants to watch Barbie; she says Brooklyn likes it, but she's still outvoted. Probably because I've been in quarantine for 4 days, Lucy has seemed really loud for the last little while.

Isaac has not tried my patience, which is a blessing. He and I just finished reading "Fablehaven" together, and it was really fun. I don't like how wordy the book is, but the ending is very cool, and the story held Isaac's attention. We're now plowing through all the "Who Would Win?" books, and then I get to pick the next story. I don't know if I want to do "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" or something else. Any suggestions for a first grader? We could do the next Fablehaven book. . .

Doug is in an interesting situation at work. His boss is running for Congress, and says he plans to retire from law in May, regardless of the outcome of the election. If he stops practicing law, that means Doug's salary-payer is gone. There is another partner, but he doesn't feel like he can afford to cover the existing overhead (which includes Doug's salary). So the firm is hoping to add another established lawyer, thus making the overhead  bearable. If that doesn't happen, I have no idea what will happen with Doug. We keep wondering whether Doug should be aggressively job-hunting, or if he should wait and see what happens in May. We felt like it was the right choice to buy our house last year, rather than renting, and why would that be the case if we have to move to find work in May? To add to the worry, we'll have our baby in February, and be paying expensive hospital bills right after that. This isn't the time for job uncertainty. I know there isn't ever an ideal time for job uncertainty, but I care about stability for our family, and it's hard not to worry with the way things are right now.

The little boy in my belly is a champion kicker, and I am quite large. I am almost 6 months along, and I've gained more weight at this point in the game than I did in previous pregnancies. I don't have any great theories to explain why: maybe it's being older, maybe it's getting pregnant right after marathon training, maybe it's not throwing up during this pregnancy. Whatever the reason, it is what it is. I was very proud of myself during this past week for eating ALMOST no sweets (I did eat the little pie samples at Sam's Club when Lucy and Brooklyn decided they didn't want to eat theirs. It just seemed like too much of a waste to throw those lovely samples away). If I can limit sweets and seconds for the rest of this pregnancy, I may not gain too much more weight. We'll see. Also, I was just called as the second counselor in the primary presidency . . . again. Our ward got split last week and our primary president was put in another ward. That meant our presidency dissolved and I got to sit around and see if I would be called to be a counselor again. I was, and I'm glad. This is a really good calling, and I didn't feel ready to move on from it.

Moving on to the picto-purge, here are some memories I'd like to post in picture form:

My kids want to be stand-up comedians when the missionaries eat at our house. They really do literally bend over backwards to entertain them. Any chance I get to feed the missionaries, I want to. It's just incredibly entertaining. Also, I loved being fed as a missionary:).

This was in the spring, when Brooklyn was willing to color in her high chair with crayons. Now, she sits at the table, and prefers markers. She then neglects to put the caps back on.

I just can't remember if I posted Isaac's soccer picture on the blog. Doug coached him, and it was fun. I probably posted it, but oh well.

Here's our huge 4th of July crew at the 4th of July Parade in Idaho Falls. Kayla is sitting next to Dave, her new husband.

Brooklyn has the ability to be an angel. She sat like this during the whole parade. I love that she isn't easily losable.

Here's Bryan Smith, Doug's boss who is running for Congress.

And my little sweetheart, lounging in a raft at Island Park. We don't have a boat, but other people in Island Park do, and if they leave their toys on shore. . .

Proof that Doug and I went on a get-away to Couer d'Alene this July. It was so gorgeous and I'd love to go again.

Here's the proof that he was there too. We went on the coolest hike right beside the lake.

Doug probably took this picture. It's pretty:)

And here we were at Isaac and Lucy's Halloween birthday party this October. We had 18 kids in our house, and it was chaotic. But hey--two parties in one and we are done until. . . who knows? No birthday parties with friends on the horizon. Check out Captain America saving the day.

Brookie and I going trick-or-treating. She loved it deeply and quietly.

The whole crew. Lucy couldn't resist making faces.

This was Brookie yesterday, making a typical mess on the floor. The kitchen is her chief disaster zone, but I won't belittle the damage she can do in every other room. I cut her hair on Thursday, so you can kind of see that. It isn't perfect, but it wasn't perfect to begin with, either.

And the kids playing in the  snow on Saturday. All I can say is snow is a whole lot prettier when you know you get to see palm trees soon! We're going to Arizona for Thanksgiving, and we're so excited! Brooklyn needs to get healthy so we can have a great trip. Yes, I am eagerly awaiting runs in shorts and tank tops. Ta ta for now! I get to start a heavy grading week tomorrow, and everything somehow needs to be graded before we leave on our trip Friday afternoon. Nooooo problem!